Grant Boyhood home
History
The Grant Boyhood Home in Georgetown was the home of Ulysses S. Grant, 18th president of the United States, from 1823, when Grant was one year old, until 1839, when he left to attend West Point. Ulysses Grant lived in this home longer than any other house during his lifetime.
In 1976, the house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and, nine years later, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.
Built in the 1820s
Grant’s parents, Jesse and Hanna Grant, first constructed a tannery in 1823 when they moved to Georgetown from nearby Point Pleasant, Ohio, where Grant had been born the year before. They built the first part of their home, now a wing toward the rear of the house, later that year. Although made of brick, it was a very modest home, with one room on the first floor and another on the second. A one-story kitchen was added in 1825. About 1828, the Grants built a two-story home in front of, and attached to, the 1823 house.
While growing up there, Grant — born Hiram Ulysses Grant — went to school, worked in his father’s tannery across the street and spent hours in his favorite pastime: working with horses. Grant lived in Georgetown with his parents and four siblings until 1839, when he left to attend West Point. It was there that, through a bureaucratic error, his name was listed as Ulysses Simpson Grant.
In Grant Family Until the 1840s
The Georgetown house remained in the Grant family until the 1840s. In 1868, new owners made improvements including a Victorian-style porch, a conservatory and elongated windows. In 1905 a new porch replaced the old one. By the 1960s, the house had become apartments and was facing demolition.
Georgetown’s nationally-known wildlife artist, John Ruthven, and his late wife Judy, who was an active preservationist, bought the Grant Boyhood Home in 1977 to ensure its future. The Ruthvens restored and furnished the house, with one room dedicated to Grant memorabilia, and added a wing to the rear for restroom and exhibit space. It has been open to visitors since 1982, when it was named a National Historic Landmark, the highest designation awarded to historic properties by the federal government. In 2002, the Ruthvens donated the Grant Boyhood Home to the State of Ohio, which placed it under the auspices of the Ohio Historical Society.
GeoTrail Information
Launch Party Event: (Click Here)
AFK Geocaching is proud to present, the first phase of the Freedom GeoTrail with the partnership of National Park Service's Network to Freedom Program, Ohio History Connection (Ohio Historical Society), National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and nearly a dozen more historical organizations!
The Freedom GeoTrail will share a small portion of Greater Cincinnati's history involving the Underground Railroad and American Civil War! During the drive along the trail you will experience over 97 miles of history with much of the suggested route along the scenic Ohio River.
Come, learn and explore one of the main hubs of the Underground Railroad and a region that had a huge significance to the American Civil War.
- Did You Know: The launch of this trail marks the 150 years since the end of the American Civil War..
How this GeoTrail works:
- Obtain your Freedom GeoTrail Passport brochure by printing it out (click here). At each of the geocaches you will find a tag with a unique word. Collect these words on your passport! Do not forget to enjoy each location and and don't forget to log your find during all of the excitement!
- What if you can not print it or stumbled upon this trail by accident? No problem! Collect the code words at each location, sign the logs (we will randomly but frequently check) and then when you can print a Trail Passport, do so. If you need us to mail you a Trail Passport, let us know your mailing address!
- Remember, in the future, the Freedom GeoTrail will grow and have more locations added! However, to complete this portion of the trail the objective will not change.
Freedom GeoTrail Locations
FGT National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (GC5T08R)
FGT Spring Grove Cemetery (GC5T08W)
FGT Harriet Beecher Stowe House, Cincinnati (GC5T090)
FGT Camp Dennison Civil War Museum (GC5T095)
FGT Historic New Richmond Ohio (GC5T09A)
FGT Ulysses S. Grant Birthplace (GC5T09D)
FGT John P. Parker House (GC5T09G)
FGT Rankin House (GC5T09M)
FGT Ulysses S. Grant Schoolhouse (GC5T09Q)
FGT Ulysses S. Grant Boyhood Home (GC5T09T)
Geocoin
We are pleased to offer a 3D sculpted, 2.5" massive work of art Geocoin by the renowned Christian Mackey.. The trail's GeoCoin is available after completion of the GeoTrail. Full details available at the website, link available from the Launch Party Event: (Click Here).
- Trail GeoCoin: A classic antique gold finish with beautiful red and blue highlights.
- Gift-shop Edition GeoCoin: Post event rendition of the limited event coin to help complete any cacher's collection for a Gold/Silver mix! The classic antique silver finish but without any color highlights. This coin will only be available thought participating locations.
- Event GeoCoin / Advance Sale GeoCoin / Volunteer Edition GeoCoin: Only available for a limited time, exact quantities minted, no extras.
*The trail's GeoCoin is available for purchase after completion of the GeoTrail. Initial order of coins will be mailed out after the event the launch event. For people completing the trail after the launch, there will be coins available at the Clermont County Convention and Visitor's Bureau.
**If coin supply runs out for the Trail coin, we will take back orders then coins will be mailed once they arrive.
***ALL GeoCoins will come with an official Adventure Cards, Copy Card! This is an all weather trading card designed for Geocachers with an illustration of the coin and your GC Tracking code. Hold onto your coin and send your Copy Card out to be discovered!
Contact Us
You might need to contact us if there is a situation that you run into on the trail. Remember we stay busy but will always try to take any calls or text messages. To call or text us: 513-235-2436. (You can also message us though the Geocaching website.)
You may also need to mail us your trail completion slips. (Warning: We will randomly check signatures on log papers.) You may mail us at:
AFK Geocaching. PO Box 43272. Cincinnati, OH. 45243
Accommodation
Lodging and accommodation information is available on the website, link available from the Launch Party Event: (Click Here)
Special Thanks
A special thanks goes out to the Clermont County Convention and Visitor's Bureau whom without their main sponsorship this trail may not have happened!
