The U. S. Grant Trail has its roots in the era of the Civil War sesquicentennial (2011 to 2015). Established in 2012 as a program of Missouri’s Civil War Heritage Foundation, it’s first foray into public education was a map of Ulysses Grant’s first days and weeks as a combat commander in the Civil War. Since that time, the Foundation has expanded to include three maps, tracking Grant’s movements from the area of Hannibal, Missouri to Paducah, Kentucky.