Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, died of throat cancer at the cottage on July 23, 1885.

The house was maintained as a shrine to U.S. Grant following his death by the Mount McGregor Memorial Association and a series of live-in caretakers.

For decades after his death, thousands of Civil War veterans made a pilgrimage to this shrine outside Saratoga Springs.

A marker is located outside the cottage on the spot where Grant had his last look of the valley; it had to be fenced off to stop visitors from chipping off pieces as souvenirs.

After the closure of the correctional facility the Historic Site was expanded to 43 acres and is open to the public seasonally courtesy of The Friends of the Ulysses S. Grant Cottage.