Truman Home: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Harry S. Truman National Historic Site, National Park Service

The Independence Unit of the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site (NHS) is part of the larger National Historic Landmark District, which encompasses several square blocks of downtown Independence, Missouri. The unit includes the Truman Home property, the Noland property, the Frank Wallace property, and the George Wallace property; together covering about one-and-a-half acres just west of the downtown area. Independence retains a small town feel, although it is the fourth largest city in the state and only 15 miles from Kansas City. The Harry S. Truman National Historic Site is located within a setting of quiet streets, surrounded primarily by one-and-a-half story homes. The significance of the Truman Home and the Independence Unit of the Harry S. Truman NHS is derived from the period of time Harry Truman served as the thirty-third president of the United States, from 1945-1953. This represents the landscape's association with Harry S. Truman as an important historical figure; however, the park includes physical evidence of a period lasting from 1867 through 1982. The Truman home had been his wife’s childhood home, and they lived there together from 1919 until 1972. The house was uninhabited during his years as president, yet he remained strongly connected to his life and family in Independence. Truman passed away in 1972, and Bess Truman continued to live at the Truman house until her death in 1982. In the ten years subsequent to Harry Truman’ s passing, Bess maintained the house much the same as it had appeared when Truman lived there. When the National Park Service assumed ownership of the property in 1982, it continued to retain the character and features representative of President Truman's inhabitation. The additional properties contained in the unit represent close ties Truman shared with his family. The Nolands and Wallaces provided a supportive atmosphere for Truman and they often shared in activities and communication, including throughout his years in Washington. The unit and its structures represent a large part of Harry Truman’s personal life and its relations to his political career, helping to providing visitors with a fuller understanding of the individual behind the presidential suit. The Truman home is in fair condition and is currently open to tours. The George Wallace home, in poor condition, is currently used as office space for the park. The Frank Wallace home is currently unoccupied and reserved as housing for a park security specialist. It is in fair condition. The unoccupied Noland home is in a poor state of repair. The Independence Unit of the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site includes seven buildings and structures, one non-contributing and twelve contributing small-scale features, circulation features, and various vegetation features. There have been minor alterations to a few of the buildings, some of the vegetation has been cut-back, and a few of the original small-scale features are no longer extant. Overall, however, the four properties collectively retain a high level of historic integrity in aspects of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. The site continues to convey an image of the life and family in Independence that influenced Harry S. Truman as a person and as a president.

Truman Home: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Harry S. Truman National Historic Site, National Park Service

Series

Collections