Harry S Truman National Historic Site

This place will give those of you with an appreciation for American history the chills. The centerpiece of the complex is the homestead built in the 19^th century by the grandfather of the future first lady, and after Harry returned from WWI, Bess finally gave in to his extended courtship and married the man who was to become President. After their marriage, the Trumans moved into the home along with Bess’ family, and it would be their home and sanctuary for the rest of their lives. After Bess died in 1982, the home and all its’ contents, pretty much maintained as it had been at the time of the President’s death a decade earlier, were turned over to the National Park Service for posterity. The President’s hat and coat still hang on the hook by the doorway, right where he left them after the last of his famous walks about town. Across the street is the home of Truman’s cousins, a place Harry S would frequent after spying Bess in Sunday School at the ripe old age of 5! To tour the sites, you first stop at the National Park Visitor Center just a few blocks away where you can view a brief introductory movie and purchase a timed ticket for a guided tour of the home. The complex also includes the Truman Farm about 25 minutes away though that can only be toured externally.

This is an awesome guided tour to do while in town. You have to buy your tickets a few blocks down the road at the office, then you’ll drive to the actual house for the tour. Tickets are only $ 5 and it’s well worth it. The house is very well preserved, everything as they were when the Trumans still lived there. You can even see his 1972 Chrysler Newport in the garage if you look out the window! The tour guide is very informative, you’ll really learn things about Harry and Beth that you wouldn’t usually read in the history books. It’s very personal, as if a very close friend is telling you their story. Definitely stop by if you can!

I’ve lived here my whole life, and have driven past this house probably a few hundred times or more, since my grandparents lived down the road, and this is my first time here. This is well worth going to. The tour is simple, it starts through the back door, and you leave out the front door. You only get to see the first floor, and no pics are allowed to be taken inside (so not sure how someone got away with the kitchen pic). It’s very well maintained, and everything is still in it’s place after Bess died. You will learn so much about them, and how simple and ordinary they were. You also get to tour the Noland House (on your own, it is not guided), which is across the street, who were Harry’s cousins, where he would stay when in town. Also, you can’t tour it (because it’s a private residence), but the house on the corner across the street was where the Secret Service lived, until Bess died. You will learn so much about them, and you will have soooo much respect for them afterwards. The Ranger/​guide is very knowledgeable. It was SO worth it!!! You can’t just go the house, though, you need to get a ticket ($ 5), and they are first come first served, at the Visitor’s Center on Main St, on the Square. While you’re there, you get to watch a short film on Truman, which was cool, too!

We found our time here to be very well spent! Don’t miss these wonderful sights about our 33^rd president!
Before we arrived, I felt very positively toward President Truman, and respected and admired him, but after spending the morning at his home and touring the Library and watching the films, I felt great AFFECTION for the man. I look forward to reading the David McCullough biography so I can spend more time with Harry.
We started our morning at the visitor’s center. There is a film here you can see, but this is where you must go to get your free tickets to tour the home. The home tours are at set times, it seems. You can walk to the house, but we drove back so we could move on to the LIbrary quickly after the tour. When we arrived in the quiet, residential neighborhood, the NPS tour guide emerged from the house to greet us on the sidewalk. It was cool, but not cold that day; I am not sure what they do during inclement weather, as he waited until everyone had arrived for the tour before taking us inside.
This is the home that had been in Bess Truman’s family, and she lived her with her parents and family when she met Harry. They kept this house in the family after her parents died, and the Harry and Bess lived her until the end of their respective lives. The tour guide brings you in through the back door «like family,» gives you a tour of the downstairs (the upstairs is not open to the public) and has you exit through the front door, as a dignitary would have done. The home is fascinating, as you feel that Bess or Harry could come home at any moment. They haven’t changed anything, and their possessions, including books, etc., are perfectly maintained in the home. (The guide told us about a wallpaper conservator who came to help them remove, save and reapply the wallpaper that was original to the home.)
This home made the Trumans feel very alive and present to us, the guide was friendly, approachable and knowledgeable. We were grateful to have this experience and we highly recommend it!

First things first. You need to go to the National Park Service visitor center which is located at 223 N Main to pickup tickets to tour the house. They only allow 8 people on a tour and they do sell out so plan on getting there early. The visitor center also has a few displays, a movie and items for sale.
Once you’ve got your timed tickets in hand head for the house. You are only able to tour the ground floor of the house for safety reasons but it is very worthwhile. Bess Truman died here in 1982 and left the home to the NPS. It is furnished as she left it, very interesting to see how a former President lived.
Be sure and have the Ranger point out the home that the Secret Service used as well as the aunts house that Truman visited — all very intersting history!