Conduct Research at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site

Take a Deep Dive Into the Life and Times of Ulysses S. Grant

Have you read about Ulysses S. Grant in the past and feel anxious to learn more? Do you enjoy conducting research in libraries and archives? Spend some time researching at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site!

The park's library and archival resources are split into two different sections: 

Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site Library

The park has collected roughly 2,000 books for its research library since the site's founding in 1989. The library contains a wealth of scholarship pertaining to Ulysses S. Grant's life and legacy, including many publications about the Antebellum, Civil War, and Reconstruction eras, more than twenty biographies of Ulysses S. Grant, and other topics pertaining to nineteenth century U.S. history. The park library continues to grow and new titles are added to it on a regular basis. The library is open to the public by appointment. Books are not allowed to be checked out, but patrons are welcome to conduct research with the books while working inside the library. Appointments can be made by calling the Park Librarian at 314-842-1867 ext. 229.

John Y. Simon Collection 

John Y. Simon was a Professor of History at Southern Illinois University - Carbondale (SIUC) and the longtime editor of The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant. From the publication of the first volume in 1967 until his death in 2008, Dr. Simon oversaw the publication of 31 volumes of Grant's papers spanning his entire life. In addition to collecting thousands of Grant's letters for publication, Dr. Simon also wrote numerous journal articles and spoke at many public gatherings about Grant's life. Wishing to preserve his memory and help other people learn about Ulysses S. Grant, Harriet Simon, Dr. Simon's widow, generously donated her husband's entire book collection to the park shortly after his death. Under the management of former Park Historian Pam Sanfilippo in the early 2010s, the park spent several years cleaning, documenting, and organizing more than 2,000 books from Dr. Simon's collection into the National Park Service's Library Database. More recently, Park Volunteer Carmen King further organized the collection and completed the integration of all titles into the NPS Library Database (NPS LIBRIS) in 2023. 

The John Y. Simon Collection contains mostly secondary sources, but some primary sources connected to Ulysses S. Grant are also housed in the library. The collection includes:
 

• More than 2,000 books owned by Dr. John Y. Simon, including various first edition copies of memoirs written by Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, Philip Sheridan, Benjamin Butler, John A. Logan and Julia Dent Grant.
• A collection of rare and fragile books, including first edition copies of John Russell Young's Around the World with General Grant, a large collection of books about President Abraham Lincoln, and Senator Charles Sumner's personal copy of a report about the Fort Pillow Massacre published by the Congressional Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War.
• Correspondence, research notes, and other papers connected to Dr. Simon.

In addition to the John Y. Simon Collection, other park research collections include:
 

• Numerous court cases, tax records, ledgers, and other primary source records connected to the Dent and Grant families' ownership of the White Haven estate. Most of these documents are copies of the original files housed in other archives. 
• Hundreds of newspaper clippings, journal articles, and other scholarship about Ulysses S. Grant and nineteenth century U.S. History.
• A collection of records pertaining to "Save Grant's White Haven," the organization that led efforts to save Ulysses S. Grant's White Haven estate in the 1980s.
• The Al O'Bright Collection. Al O'Bright was a Historical Architect for the National Park Service and the leading architect behind the effort to restore Ulysses S. Grant's White Haven home in the 1990s. Mr. O'Bright's collection includes numerous blueprints, correspondence, and other architectural records connected to the restoration and management of White Haven by the National Park Service in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Like the park's research library, public access to the John Y. Simon Collection requires a pre-scheduled appointment. To reserve a date and time to visit, call the Park Librarian at 314-842-1867 ext. 229.

The entire list of all books in the park's library collection can be viewed online by clicking the search button below.

Search NPS Library catalog (NPSLibris):

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Details

Duration

1-4 Hours

Duration spent in the library will vary based on research needs, but due to limited staffing the maximum amount of time generally allowed for one research block is four hours. 

Activity

Hands-On

Pets Allowed

No

Pets are not allowed into the John Y. Simon Collection with the exception of service animals. A service animal is defined as “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability." Dogs are the only animals that can be used as a service animal except for miniature horses.

Activity Fee

No

There is no activity fee to visit the John Y. Simon Collection.

Location

Basement of Park Museum

The John Y. Simon Library is housed underneath the historic horse stable where the park's museum is housed. The library is accessible by both steps and an elevator. The total distance from the front entrance of the visitor center to the library is roughly 150 feet. 

Reservations

Yes

To schedule an appointment to visit the John Y. Simon Collection, call the Park Librarian at 314-842-1867 ext. 229. 

Season

Year Round

Time of Day

Day

The John Y. Simon Library is open during standard park operating hours, 9AM to 5PM. 

Accessibility Information

The park's research library is accessible for people using wheelchairs, walkers, and other assisted mobility devices via an elevator on the east side of the park's visitor center. Total distance from the elevator to the library entrance is 25 feet. The Park Librarian can also assist with grabbing materials that are stored in high shelves within the collection.  

The John Y. Simon Collection is accessible for people using wheelchairs, walkers, and other assisted mobility devices via an elevator on the east side of the park's visitor center. Total distance from the elevator to the Simon Collection is roughly 150 feet. The Park Librarian can also assist with grabbing materials that are stored in high shelves within the collection.