The fascinating story of Grant’s Tomb — and a quirky history that includes an ambitious architect, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, lots of ugly raspberry paint, and strange charges of animal sacrifice.
The history of Grant’s Tomb plays an important role in the story of Riverside Park (released in 2018). Listen to that tale here:
And listen to the story of Grant’s Tomb in this very early episode of the Bowery Boys podcast from 2008.
Ulysses S. Grant – perhaps America’s most famous man in the years following the Civil War. As president of the United States, Grant would be known for important political reforms — and a series of corruption scandals.
His wife Julia Dent Grant, entombed next to him
An ominous view of the Tomb during World War I, as battleships pass by it
A great photo illustrating how somewhat barren that area of town was at the time. The silo-like building in the background is apparently a gas shell.
The website of the Grant Monument Association details some of the disasterous deterioration of the memorial during the 1970s:
Frank Scaturro, the Columbia University student who helped bring Grant’s Tomb back to life (photos courtesy the GMA website)
Grant’s Tomb today, complete with unicyclists (in foreground). Photos by Greg Young (taken in 2008)
2 replies on “The Story of Grant’s Tomb: Upper Manhattan’s Magnificent Mausoleum”
Ulysses S. Grant was born in Point Pleasant, Ohio not Pleasant Point, Ohio.
Y’know it’s comments like this that keep me from getting invited to parties.
Having visited the tomb in the mid 70’s I was appalled at the state of disrepair the tomb had been. It was being used as a ‘shooting gallery’ by the local drug addicts. Litter and used needles everywhere. On a later visit in the 80’s the site had been cleaned up and restored.