Last updated: July 13, 2026
Place
Victorian Dining Room
NPS
Quick Facts
Amenities
1 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
If the parlor was a place for catching up and getting acquainted, the dining room was the place for political and philosophical conversations. After Grant and Julia married in 1848, they moved around the country for several years until 1854. Grant offered his resignation to the military at that time and returned to St. Louis for the next five years.
During Ulysses Grant’s time in St. Louis, one of the most heavily debated topics of the time was the issue of slavery. Ulysses Grant’s father opposed the practice of slavery, and brought up Ulysses under his ideals. At White Haven, however, the story was different. Julia grew up under her father, Colonel Frederick Dent. Dent owned several enslaved persons that labored on the 850-acre plantation. The enslaved persons also assisted with household chores, including meals. One of these laborers was Mary Robinson, a cook who would often serve the family meals and silently bear witness to these conversations.
A particular point of controversy occurred right here in St. Louis in 1857. After Dred and Harriett Scott won their freedom at the Old Courthouse downtown several years earlier, the Supreme Court overruled the initial decision and denied the Scotts citizenship. On a table in this room, we have a replica newspaper that shows the headline following the landmark decision.
Be sure to take a look at the walls in the photo as well—you’ll see that unlike the parlor and the other rooms you'll explore, there is wallpaper here! This is the only room in the house that preservationists were able to find a large enough sample of wallpaper to recreate the proper style with 100% confidence. This is what Victorian-style walls would’ve looked like in White Haven.