Ulysses S. Grant first met Julia Dent at White Haven in 1843. They married in 1848, raised a family, and farmed this land from 1854 to 1859. The farm produced a variety of grains, vegetables, and fruits, and Grant later bred horses here. In 1856 Grant completed work on a home for his family. Julia was not fond of Hardscrabble, and in 1857 they returned to the comforts of White Haven. The Grants later purchased the property and planned to retire here following Grant's presidency. In 1903, the August A. Busch family acquired much of the original White Haven property as a private estate. In 1954, the grounds opened to the public as Grant's Farm, an exotic wildlife park and home to the famous Clydesdales.