Hike and Presentation: St. Louis German Immigrants, 1848 - 1865

Join us for all or part of this event.

Join us for an enlightening evening as we explore the historical connections between Ulysses S. Grant and German immigrants during his time in St. Louis from 1854 to 1860.

Our event begins with a scenic 1.1-mile walk along the paved Grant Trail, starting from the Crestwood Community Center at Whitecliff Park, located at the top of the hill.

The walk will lead us to the Ulysses S. Grant Historical Site where, at 7:00 p.m., we will gather in the comfortable Ulysses Grant Theater for the presentation.

"Historian/Curator Nick Sacco will start the presentation with a short talk on Ulysses S. Grant's relationship with German immigrants during his time in St. Louis (1854-1860). He will specifically discuss Grant's failed application to become St. Louis County Engineer and the man who beat him, Charles E. Salomon, who was born in Prussia and immigrated to St. Louis in the 1850s.
Kristen Anderson, associate professor of History at Webster University, will explore the roles German immigrants played in the Civil War and debates over slavery. In the 19th century Missouri, including St. Louis, received many German immigrants. St. Louis Germans became increasingly antislavery throughout the 1850s, and once the Civil War began, were quick to volunteer for the Union Army, providing much needed manpower during the early years of the war."

For those who prefer not to hike, you can join us directly at the Historical Site at 6:45 p.m. for the presentation at 7:00 p.m., or come earlier to explore the museum. After the presentations, we will hike back to our cars along the same trail.