Marker Logo HMdb.org THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Near Affton in St. Louis County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
 

The White Haven Estate: Other Houses

Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site

 
 
The White Haven Estate: Other Houses Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Beverly Pfingsten, June 14, 2012
1. The White Haven Estate: Other Houses Marker
Inscription. White Haven was the name given to both the house and the estate. Typical of many large plantations, other houses on the property were built and occupied by family members and slaves. White residents gave their houses special names. The slaves, however, did not give affectionate names to the one or two-room dwellings they occupied. These structures were simply referred to as cabins.

Above Left
Julia's brother Louis built Wish-ton=Wish (a Native American word for whippoorwill) in 1848. It served as a temporary home for Ulysses and Julia in 1855 and on their visits to St. Louis during Grant's presidency. Fire destroyed the house in 1873.

Above
Ulysses built a house in 1856 on 80 acres that Colonel Dent gave the Grants as a wedding gift, although no deed legalized the transfer. Julia did not like the crude log cabin, facetiously named Hardscrabble. They lived there only three months, returning to the main house upon Mrs. Dent;s death. The cabin is now located at Grant's Farm.

Left
This slave cabin from a neighboring farm is typical of cabins in the area. Documents indicate that as many as twelve slave cabins were located behind the main house, perhaps across the small creek in what is today Forest Haven subdivision. Later records suggest that these cabins were demolished during Grant's ownership.
 
Topics and series.

Paid Advertisement
Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.
Click or scan to see
this page online
This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African AmericansNotable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #18 Ulysses S. Grant series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1848.
 
Location. 38° 33.125′ N, 90° 21.094′ W. Marker is near Affton, Missouri, in St. Louis County. Marker can be reached from Grant Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7400 Grant Road, Saint Louis MO 63123, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. New Buildings for White Haven (here, next to this marker); Slaves Only (here, next to this marker); The Roads to White Haven (here, next to this marker); The Working Farm (here, next to this marker); Early Owners of the Farm (here, next to this marker); White Haven's Outbuildings (here, next to this marker); Green Haven? (here, next to this marker); Outbuildings / ~150 Years Ago—Colored Troops (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Affton.
 
Wish-ton-wish and slave cabin image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Beverly Pfingsten, June 14, 2012
2. Wish-ton-wish and slave cabin
Hardscrabble image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Beverly Pfingsten, June 14, 2012
3. Hardscrabble
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on April 24, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 3, 2012, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 493 times since then and 21 times this year. Last updated on October 15, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on September 3, 2012, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.

Share this page.  
Share on Tumblr
m=124999

CeraNet Cloud Computing sponsors the Historical Marker Database.
This website earns income from purchases you make after using our links to Amazon.com. We appreciate your support.
Paid Advertisements
Mar. 19, 2024