20th Century · Missouri
Harry S. Truman Home
The Truman Home, Independence, Missouri. — National Park Service
Why Harry S. Truman Home Matters
The house Harry Truman called home before, during, and after his presidency, left almost exactly as the Trumans lived in it, offering one of the most intimate surviving glimpses into a modern president's private life.
By the Numbers
Founding
- Built
- 1867, by Bess Truman's grandfather George Porterfield Gates
History
- Original name
- The Gates-Wallace House
- Marriage
- Truman married Bess Wallace in 1919 and moved into the house
- Nickname
- The 'Summer White House' during Truman's 1945-1953 presidency
- Retirement
- Truman lived there full-time from 1953 until his death in 1972
- Bequest
- Bess Truman willed the house to the federal government upon her death in 1982
Designation
- National Historic Site
- Established 1983
Timeline
- 1867The house is built by George Porterfield Gates
- 1919Harry Truman marries Bess Wallace and the couple moves into the house
- 1945Truman becomes president; the house becomes known as the 'Summer White House'
- 1953Truman leaves office and returns to live full-time in the house
- 1972Harry Truman dies
- 1982Bess Truman dies and wills the house to the federal government
- 1983The Harry S. Truman National Historic Site is established
Complete History
George Porterfield Gates, a successful Independence businessman, built the Victorian Italianate house in 1867 for his family. His granddaughter, Bess Wallace, grew up in the home, and when she married Harry Truman in 1919, the couple moved in, beginning a residence that would last the rest of both their lives.
When Truman became president in 1945, he continued to treat Independence as home, returning frequently and conducting official business from the house during his visits, which earned it the nickname the 'Summer White House.' After leaving office in 1953, Truman moved back permanently, living an unusually ordinary post-presidential life in the same house where he had started his political career.
Truman died in 1972, and Bess remained in the house until her own death in 1982, at which point she willed the property to the federal government exactly as it stood, furniture, papers, and personal items included. The National Park Service established the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site the following year, preserving the home as an unusually intact record of a presidential family's everyday domestic life.
Historic Images
Interesting Facts
- The house was built in 1867 by Bess Truman's grandfather and was originally known as the Gates-Wallace House.
- It was nicknamed the 'Summer White House' during Truman's presidency, when he conducted official business there during visits home.
- Truman lived in the house before, during, and after his presidency, from 1919 until his death in 1972.
- Bess Truman willed the house to the federal government when she died in 1982.
- The house remains furnished with the Trumans' original possessions, largely unchanged since their lifetimes.
Visiting Today
- Hours
- Guided tours only; check schedule seasonally
- Admission
- Free timed-entry tickets required
- Best time to visit
- Weekday mornings for a better chance at same-day tickets
- Nearby
- Truman Presidential Library and Museum, Independence Square, Vaile Mansion
Tickets are limited and distributed same-day at the visitor center — arrive early
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was it called the 'Summer White House'?
During his presidency from 1945 to 1953, Truman frequently returned to the house and conducted official business there during his visits home to Independence, earning it the nickname.
How long did the Trumans live in the house?
Harry and Bess Truman lived there from their marriage in 1919 until their deaths, in 1972 and 1982 respectively, making it their home for over six decades.
How did the house become a National Historic Site?
Bess Truman willed the house to the federal government upon her death in 1982, and it was established as the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site the following year.
Is the house furnished with the Trumans' actual belongings?
Yes. The National Park Service preserves the house largely as the Trumans left it, furnished with their original possessions.
