Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum

Doug had already visited the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri, and didn’t feel the need to go again. I was on the fence, since I wasn’t especially interested, but we were right there, and we were visiting some other sites related to Truman. So I decided to round out my experience by taking a spin through.

As usual with a Presidential Library, there’s a lot of reading, and I’m not so keen about standing around reading (I’d rather be curled up with the book). Therefore, I read what I felt like and skimmed the rest, and had zero guilt about it.

Truman’s office at the Presidential Library, as he left it when he died in 1972.

Truman was very actively involved in the construction and running of the library. He was energetic in fundraising, as it was built with private funds (the land was donated by the City of Independence).

His was the first Presidential Library created under the 1955 Presidential Libraries Act. The library opened in 1957, featuring the Masonic Rites of Dedication, because Truman was a Mason, naturally.

When the library opened, he had an office right on site, and he came 5-6 days a week to dabble in his papers, greet visitors and students, and even train docents and give guided tours!

The museum goes through every aspect of Truman’s life, and includes personal and professional memorabilia. The bulk of the museum is dedicated to his time in office, of course.

The museum hosts a giant Thomas Hart Benton mural, Independence and the Opening of the West (“Independence” refers to the town, in this instance). It took three years to paint, and greeted visitors in what was at the time the lobby of the museum. It’s pretty amazing, and you can get right up close to it — I had to ask the guard if it was the original, as it looked like a print! So interesting!

Truman was not originally a fan of Benton, saying the art was too sensual and abstract (I feel ya, Truman!). But Truman knew Benton was an important Missouri artist and agreed to commission him for the painting. They spent many hours discussing and planning the mural, and when it was complete Truman declared Benton “the greatest muralist in the country.”

The mural depicts the town of Independence’s role in the settling of the American West. “The mural portrays the interactions of people and their interests along the Santa Fe, California, and Oregon Trails in the mid- 19^th Century. The figures depicted include settlers, blacksmiths, fur trappers, Cheyenne and Pawnee Indians, French voyageurs, and livestock traders” (per the accompanying sign board).

Truman’s 1941 Chrysler Royal Club Coupe. Also on display was Bess’ 1941 Chrysler Windsor Sedan, purchased in the same color.

Fun fact about the museum: it’s been the victim of two significant burglaries! 450 rare coins donated by Truman’s Treasury Secretary were stolen in 1962, none of which have been recovered.

In 1978, thieves stole three swords and two daggers that were encrusted with rubies, diamonds and sapphires, gifted from the crown prince of Saudi Arabia and the Shah of Iran; these also have not been recovered.

Another fun fact: Truman’s legal name is Harry S Truman – there is no period after the “S.” His parents couldn’t decide whether to go with Shipp (paternal grandfather) or Solomon (maternal grandfather), so they just went with S as his full middle name and left it at that.

However, Truman often added a period as though it were an abbreviation, and you may note that the official library name includes a period, as well.

One of the most famous “oopsie” headlines in the history of print: on November 3, 1948, the Chicago Daily Tribune printed the winner of the presidential election based on too-early results. It’s clear Truman was highly amused!

Truman, his wife Bess, their daughter Margaret (their only child), and Margaret’s husband Clifton are all buried in the museum courtyard.

When Truman was ten, he and his brother caught diphtheria, a very serious – often fatal – disease at the time. He was paralyzed for months. During this time his mother gave him a set of books *Great Men and Famous Women*, turning him into a voracious reader and nurturing ambitions to become a “great man” himself.

The caption on this in the museum is, “On February 10, 1945 Truman played piano for 800 servicemen at the National Press Club. They cheered as 18-year-old Lauren Bacall, coaxed by her press agent, was boosted atop the piano. The press enjoyed the incident. Bess did not.” LOL!

A replica of Truman’s Oval Office on August 28, 1950. Other presidential libraries have followed suit with this idea. The globe at left was a gift from General Eisenhower.

VP Truman was excluded from President Roosevelt’s inner circle, and they’d only met together twice when Roosevelt died unexpectedly just 82 days into his term. Many thought Truman was not up to the job ahead.

The Presidential seal was redesigned in 1951, so the Trumans got to select a new China set, which was nearly 1,600 pieces!

This Norman Rockwell painting, *Family Squabble*, depicts the “bitterly divisive 1948 Presidential campaign through an argument between a husband voting for Dewey and a wife voting for Truman. Their child cries at his parents’ discord.”

It’s crazy to think about, but when Truman suddenly became President, he’d been completely in the dark about the Manhattan Project. The letter from Secretary of War Harry Stimson begins, “I think it very important that I should have a talk with you as soon as possible on a highly secret matter.” Eek.

One of the more sobering items in the museum is this green safety plug from “Fat Man”, the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki. The plug prevented accidental detonation.

The original version of this Greta Kempton portrait of Bess hangs in the Truman Home. In 1967, Kempton painted copies for the White House and Presidential Library.

Selections of letters between Harry and Bess.

Portrait of Truman by Greta Kempton, around 1949.

It seems that the Trumans had a happy marriage, and they certainly doted on and were close to their daughter Margaret, and later their grandsons. During their long courtship and marriage they exchanged many letters. Harry kept all of his, but he caught Bess burning many of hers. “Bess, think of history!” he exclaimed. “Oh, I have,” she replied. Smart lady. Supposedly you can read many of the 1,300 surviving letters from Harry to Bess, along with 200 letters from Bess to Harry, on the Library’s website.