Grant, Ulysses S., Boyhood Home
Also known as: Grant Homestead
Why it's listed
Ulysses S. Grant spent his boyhood years, 1824 to 1839, in this brick house in Georgetown, Ohio, before leaving for West Point. His father, Jesse R. Grant, a tanner, built it in stages. The original two-room, two-story section facing Water Street dates to 1823. A kitchen addition followed in 1824, along with a lean-to, and a larger two-story brick wing facing Grant Avenue was added in 1828, producing the present L-shaped plan on a dressed stone foundation. A flat-roofed front porch with stone panels and arched openings was added later. Inside, the woodwork, floors and fireplaces are original. Jesse Grant owned the property until 1847. Grant later became general-in-chief of the Union armies and the eighteenth president. The plain architecture reflects the family's modest, rural circumstances. Today the house is privately owned, maintained as a museum and shown by appointment, and it is marked as a historic site by the Ohio Historical Society.
Significance in brief: It was the boyhood home of Ulysses S. Grant, Civil War general-in-chief and 18th president, who lived there from 1824 to 1839 until he left for West Point. Its simple architecture reflects his humble background as the son of a tanner in rural southern Ohio. The nomination evaluated its significance at the state level.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 76001374, listed October 8, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 219 E. Grant Ave., Georgetown |
|---|---|
| County | Brown County |
| Listed | October 8, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001374 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Jesse Grant |
| Areas of significance | Military, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | State |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated February 4, 1985 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Privately owned and maintained as a museum, shown free of charge by appointment; interior in excellent condition with original woodwork, floors, walls and fireplaces. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.86614, -83.90202 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 76001374.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5596119
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.