In this Adirondack cottage atop Mount McGregor in Wilton, New York, General and President Ulysses S. Grant wrote his memoirs before succumbing to throat cancer on July 23, 1885. He was assisted in that effort by Mark Twain. In spite of his extraordinary role as a military commander during the Civil War and as President during post war reconstruction, he was destitute. The royalties from his memoirs helped support his family.
Today, the cottage remains the same as during Grant’s time there. Visitors can tour the downstairs of the cottage, viewing the original furnishings, decorations, and personal items belonging to Grant, including the bed on which he died, and floral arrangements that remain from his funeral. There is also a short path to the Eastern Outlook, which commands a spectacular view of the Hudson Valley, from the Adirondacks to the north, the Green Mountains of Vermont to the east, and the Catskills to the south.
It was an honor for me be a guest speaker at Grant Cottage recently. Thank you to Executive Director Melissa Swanson, as well as David Hubbard and Ben Kemp, for their hospitality. Thanks also, to all of the folks who came to Grant Cottage and graciously listened to and participated in the discussion about, She Called Him Raymond.
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