There’s history attached to the land. It may be the only former farm of a US president to remain a private green space open to the public.
The president? Grant. And the farm actually belonged to his father-in-law first. He did not become the owner until many years later.
After several ownership transfers and some downsizing — the land was purchased by a prominent St. Louis family. There was an attempt for sale recently, but getting six siblings to agree proved impossible.
The winner? In this case — the public. It’s part game preserve, part animal show, photo opportunity, and of course (this is St. Louis) liquid adult refreshment. It’s seasonal opening for weekends in the spring, every day during the summer, and tapering off to weekends and then closing for the winter.
This lovely fellow stands guard (with a companion) at the formal gate to Grant’s Farm. Owned and operated by the Busch family, it’s a popular place to see a Clydesdale or two, ride a camel, watch an elephant show, or feed a llama.
