Grant's Tomb

Grant's Tomb NYC is a tribute to Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States. It is located in Upper West side of Manhattan near the intersection of Riverside Drive and W. 122 Street. This monument is the final resting place of President Grant and his wife, Julia Dent Grant. It is also the second largest mausoleum made of granite and marble in the Western Hemisphere.

There’s a famous old joke “who’s buried in Grant’s Tomb?” Well, no one is. However, Grant and his wife, Julia, are entombed in the mausoleum. The structure is managed by US National Park Service and is designated by the US Congress as General Grant National Memorial.

Ulysses S. Grant was a triumphant Union Commander of the civil war and therefore in his honor, the memorial has tombs of General Grant and Julia Dent Grant, his wife. He was a graduate from West Point, served at various posts in the Mexican war and was at higher ranks in the Civil War. His firmness and courage led to many successes in the Battles of Vicksburg and Chattanooga including the surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox. His heroism from the wars are showcased in the form of mosaics within the tomb. In 1866, he became the first full General of the armies after he was awarded his fourth star from Congress.

Grant was the 18th President of the United States and served for two terms, 1868 and 1872. Establishing Yellowstone as the first national park on March 1, 1872 was his one of many accomplishments.  He lost his military pension by becoming president and consequently also lost the nomination for a third term as president. He was left with no income to support his family. He moved to New York City and in 1884, he learned he had terminal throat cancer. Grant began to write his memoirs to provide means to his family. Hi book, Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant, earned a profit of almost $450,000. He died on July 23, 1885 and his funeral was held on August 8, 1885 in New York City. It was estimated that nearly one million people came to watch the funeral procession and lined up along Broadway.

Donations of over $600,000 to construct Grant’s tomb came from all over the world. And, it became the largest public fundraising effort at that time. The tomb was made of granite and marble and was designed and completed by architect John Duncan in 1897. It was noted that the parade and the dedication ceremony of the Grant’s tomb were attended by over one million people on April 27, 1897.

Grant’s Tomb can be viewed on our Daily Bronx tour!