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While on vacation, there are some things that I want to visit.
There are some things that my husband wants to visit.
Then, there are the things that we both want to visit.
While in Key West, Harry S. Truman’s Little White House was one of those things that we were both interested in.
Well, we were very interested until we got there and asked to purchase a ticket…wow quite expensive! In the end, we decided to take the tour, even after being told that we could not take photos inside the home…and everyone who knows me, knows that drives me crazy!
As we sat on the back veranda, our tour guide gave us a quick overview of the history of the property and of how it came to be the Key West home of President Truman.
Built in 1890, as the first officer’s quarters of the submarine base naval station, it was later converted into a single-family dwelling to house the base commandant. Originally a waterfront dwelling, the property’s ocean views were eventually blocked by a new building at the naval station.
Before President Truman’s acquisition, the home had its share of famous visitors. In 1912, President William Howard Taft traveled to Key West for a stay before traveling to Panama for an inspection of the canal which was under construction. While staying in the home during World War I, Thomas Edison perfected underwater weapons and the home acted as a command center for the remainder of the war.
Requiring some relaxation, President Harry S. Truman was ordered to take a warm-weathered vacation by his physician. His first trip, in 1946, was the first of eleven visits over the course of his time in office and it was on those visits that he and Bess put their decorative touches on it and made it their “home away from home”.
As we walked through the house with our guide, we were regaled with tales of the many important events that took place within its walls…and not necessarily the nightly poker games.
United States Cabinet members and foreign officials were regular visitors to the Truman home and it was where the the Joint Chiefs of Staff laid out the creation of the Department of Defense.
Later still, other presidential visitors included General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who later became president and President John F. Kennedy. In more recent years, President Jimmy Carter held a family reunion on the premises and a week of peace talks was initiated here by Secretary of State Colin Powell with President Robert Kocharyan of Armenia and Heydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hilary, have also spent a weekend relaxing in the Little White House.
After the President Truman left office, the house reverted to the role as home to the Naval Station commandant until 1974, when the submarine base was closed and later, that year, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
The home was deeded to the State of Florida on January 1, 1987. Almost a million dollars was spent restoring the house to its 1949 appearance and it was opened as a state historic site and museum.
As we were led through each of the home’s rooms, we garnered a better understanding of how the president spent his days and nights on vacation, as we examined items such as the President’s briefcase, books, telephone. Noting these last objects, obviously, at times, he found it necessary to mix business with pleasure.
My favorite items, however, were his poker table (which could tell a tale or two, I am sure), his “vacation” shirt, which still hangs in the closet and his famous “The Buck Stops Here” sign which still sits on his desk.
The home is in impeccable condition and looks much like one would expect a home to look like during the late 40’s and early 50’s.
Now back to the no photographs rule…
Of course, I wanted to capture what I was seeing as it appeared to be so original and Tru (pun intended!), however, as we were accompanied the entire time by our guide, it was by the hardest that I was able to snap a few photos when he was not looking.
With that being said, was the visit to the Little White House worth the $22.52?
We learned a lot about the United States’ 33rd president, were able to enjoy authentic 1950’s decor and walk through a piece of architecture that played an important part of our great country.
The most important thing, however, was that my husband and I were able to enjoy something together!
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Harry S. Truman Little White House
- https://www.trumanlittlewhitehouse.com/
- Address: 111 Front Street, Key West, Florida
- Hours: 1000-1700, daily
- Admission: Adults, $22.52, Children (ages 4-12), $10.75. Discounts for online purchase.
