Harry S Truman National Historic Site
219 N Delaware, Independence, MO
Operated by the National Park Service, the Truman Home is a National Historic Site. Extension Master Gardeners maintain the historic landscaping that surrounds the Independence White House. Guided by a plan for landscape reconstruction and preservation prepared by the National Park Service, the landscaping is “frozen in time” to reflect the grounds as they were when Harry and Bess Truman lived there from 1953 to 1972, after the Truman presidency. The Truman’s sense of Midwestern thrift and their strong desire for privacy require the grounds to remain somewhat overgrown and for weeds to be welcome in the turf.
Our Extension Master Gardener volunteers work on-site during the mornings of the 2nd Wednesday and 4th Tuesday of the month. They focus on pruning, weeding, and practicing preservative techniques on the home’s original plantings to ensure plant health and longevity and on preserving the property by keeping plant growth away from structure and fences.