A young army officer by the name of Ulysses Grant had put a payment on a home in what was known as Detroit when he was stationed there in 1849. He only lived in the house for a couple of years and this home has become a landmark for the city. Now, according to a report from detroit.curbed.com, the home was moved to its current location at Lafayette Park to preserve it and will be returned near its original location.
The new location, according to the same report, would be at Detroit Edison Academy within the Eastern Market area. This would be just a mile where the home originally stood when then Officer Grant was living in the area. This is was before he won the Civil War or before he became President of the Union.
According to Detroit Edison Academy School Superintendent Ralph Bland, in a report from freep.com, "Details are being finalized, but we are honored to bring this historic project to the DEPSA campus."
Initial plans already made public include that the home will be moved this summer and will remain in Detroit. This was confirmed by Michigan Historical Center Director Sandra Clark. Her office is taking lead in the relocation and restoration of the landmark.
She said, "Today, we're thinking differently about historical homes and what's the best use for them." She added that the idea was to have "them (be) an active educational tool for the school and the public, an interactive way to learn about the history of Detroit... We want to put history to work, if you will."
One of the major stalwarts for this work is Michigan Historical Commission President Jack Dempsey. Through his efforts, the unused and neglected structure of historical significance was given a major lease on life. When asked about the projected move, he said, "Grant is an iconic figure in American history, a man who, before the Civil War, didn't have much success, but he went on to become the highest-ranking general in the war and saved the union.There are a whole number of Grant structures around the country, and Michigan is the only state that has treated one of them like this."
