Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, Independence, Missouri, May 17, 2013

After finding the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, Shawnee Mission, Kansas where my daughters Patricia and Jamie attended and graduated I continued on through Kansas City, Missouri to Independence, Missouri to tour the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum.  Mr. Truman was our nations 33rd President.

Main Entrance To The Harry S. Truman Museum And Library

The Truman Museum and Library was dedicated in July 1957 and covers his life from a humble beginning to become the most powerful leader in the world. As is the case with most leaders of our country who have lived a long life and served many years in service to our nation there is much information of interest. So if you are looking for a detailed expose on Mr. Truman life you will be disappointed  because I am not capable of that and I would point you to an excellent book about Mr. Truman's life by David McCullough " TRUMAN ". Here at the Museum and Library you can follow Mr. Truman as he tried working at many kinds of work including service in the military during World War I and eventually getting into politics and serving at several levels which I will briefly touch upon later. As President he guided the U. S. and the world through perilous times which includes the ending of World War II, dropping of the atomic bomb, the formation of the United Nations, NATO, and the Marshal Plan, the successful operation of the Berlin Airlift, and the beginning of the Cold War. I found it impressive that much of this story is told through the medium of copies of news papers which reported these events and are shown later in this posting.

As you enter the facility you get your ticket and materials to help you find your way around. In the main lobby you see the massive mural by Thomas Hart Benton " Independence and the Opening of the West. Off the lobby is the State of Missouri Auditorium which features the film Harry S. Truman : 1884 - 1972  by Academy Award-winning director Charles Guggenheim. Also off the lobby is the White House Gallery where you read about and see a typical day of the president. Finally off the main lobby is the oval office replica decorated exactly as it was in 1950. On the main level there are 12 different attractions and on the lower level there are 5 attractions. In the court yard is the Grave site and President Truman's Office.

Replica Of  The Oval Office In 1950. This is where Truman said " The Buck Stops Here ".

Left Side Of Replica Of Oval Office As It Was I 1950

Hidden Door To President's Secretary Office. Do You See It?

Favorite Portrait Position Of Photographs With Special Visitors

President Truman Holds News Conference In Oval Office

President Signing Important Piece Of Legislation In Oval Office

Concerning his ancestors grandparents Harry said they were a mix of everything. His family was of English, Scott-Irish, French and German. His grandparents come to Missouri from Shelby County, Kentucky. They left a legacy of independence and hard work. Harry said his grandfather could do anything he set his mind to and mostly he did. Above you see a little book " They Could Only Kick The Dog ". He loved to read. His first memory is that of chasing a frog around the back yard in Cass County, Missouri. His grandmother would watch this performance and thought it very funny that a 2 year old boy could/would do this.

Books were Harry's window to the world. His mother and teachers instilled in him an early passion for learning. Reading was a safe way to have adventures without breaking his glasses which were an expensive item for a family of modest means . While other children around Harry generally dropped out of school after completing the seventh grade Harry went on the graduate from high school. Throughout Harry's life he was fascinated with history.

Picture above in the center is A. J. Clinton's Drug Store on Independence Square where Harry as a fourteen year worked. He said he could remember the first $5.00 he received for working there a week. His week was 7 days, all day Saturday and Sunday, and every day during school from seven o'clock until school time and from four o'clock after school until six at night. He had to wipe the bottles clean, and mop the floor every morning. He worked the soda fountain. He thought the $5.00 he received was the best payday he ever received. He bought a present for his mother and tried to give the rest to his father for rent but his father would not take it.

Harry had a love for music from an early age and his mother encouraged him in both areas.. He was a serious student of the piano and practiced before school with the self-discipline which was typical of young Harry on his family upright Kimball. By the age of 14 he had read every book in the Independence library. He was thrilled when his music teacher arranged for him to meet the great concert pianist Ignace Paderewski. Harry worked as a usher at Kansas City theaters to gain free access to performances, including one that was to have special meaning in his life, the musical comedy, " The Girl from Utah ". See the poster in the upper right of the photograph above. I will have more to say about this later.

 He had dreamed of going to college and becoming a concert pianist but at the age of 17 he had to start working full time. In 1901 his father dashed his dreams of college by losing the family savings in  risky investments. He held several jobs including a good job as a bank clerk in Kansas City, Missouri. He went to concerts and joined the National Guard. A clothing business he had went bankrupt. After working several years in Kansas City Harry at the age of 22 found that his life changed again when his father summoned him  back to the farm in Grand View to help his family.  As it turned out the farm taught him many important lessons as he grew into manhood. He developed habits of  hard work and careful planning. He learned to value common sense and the common man. Most of the time he spent a great deal of time thinking about his place in the world. Pictured above is a riding plow which Harry would have used and it permitted the farmer to plow a lot more acreage each day when compared to using an older version of the plow which you had to walk behind and work hard keeping it plowing a straight furrow Riding this plow also permitted Harry a lot of time to think about the world and his future. I personally recall as a child growing up on the farm myself and seeing Dad using both of these type plows before he got his first tractor. The title of the above photograph is " Plowing a Straight Furrow " and you might wonder what difference does it make if the furrow is straight or crooked?  The difference is a matter of pride in doing a good job. 

Working on the family farm Harry helped manage the 600 acre  farm as he worked with animals and learned how to rotate crops. He struggle to manage the farm hands who were more likely to listen to his father than him. Farming taught him one very important lesson namely, that hard work alone does not guarantee success. Working on the family farm was a rough time for not only him but his family. Times were tough. The house had no electricity or indoor plumbing. The backbreaking labor began at 5 A. M.  and lasted 12 to 14 hours.  Harry had another matter on his mind and that was a young lady named Bess Wallace. In one of is letters he wrote to Bess he related that there is always something the matter with a crop. It's either too dry or too wet or too short or too long or too much or not enough. He wrote that " if " is the largest word in a farmers language. Harry's father died in 1914, and full responsibility of the farm fell upon Harry who was now 30 years old. Harry accepted the challenge, and it taught him what became his best-known quality- common sense. His mother Martha once said that it was on the farm he got his common sense. He did not get it in town. The farm was 10 miles from Bess' home and it was a rough time trying to get to her house and to top it off she was not interested in marrying a farmer. To get to her home he had to take a train and a street car. In 1913 Harry bought a used Stafford open touring car which made the trip to Bess' home easier.

Concerning Harry's courtship of Bess it went back a long ways. as you recall Harry was born in Lamar, Missouri and his family moved to Independence, Missouri when he was six years old. That year Harry met five-year old Bess Wallace, daughter of a prominent family. All his school years Harry adored Bess, the beautiful young lady with blue eyes and golden hair, a popular girl and an accomplished athlete. The frail looking boy with the thick glasses did not appeal to Bess. It took years for Harry to overcome his shyness and strike up a true friendship with her. But Harry as he did all his life relied on his determination and patience to follow every avenue to pursue Bess. In 1910 Harry and Bess crossed paths again. While visiting his aunt and uncle, the Noland's in Independence Harry volunteered to return a plate dish to a neighbor, Mrs. Madge Wallace. Bess greeted him at the door, and their courtship began. He wrote letters to her from Grandview and in 1911 he proposed marriage. She turned him down.

By 1917, 33 year old Truman was in the midst of World War I as a Captain in the U. S. Army. He inspired his troops by his persistence, courage and determination in France and lost none of his troops. There were periods prior to the war that Harry felt that he was a failure but after the war he finally felt successful. In more ways than one he finally persuaded Bess to marry him and they married June 28, 1919. Following the war he operated a thriving store but had to close it because of the post war depression. Harry is not out of work and looking for work. On February 17, 1924 daughter Margaret was born.

With all this said you wonder how did he get into politics. What motivated him? Determined to succeed at something he entered politics, eventually becoming a U. S. senator and at the age of 60 he was suddenly President of the United States. Who was this common man suddenly thrust into an uncommon position of responsibility. In 1900  Truman got his first taste of politics when his father took him to the Democratic National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. Truman loved the excitement of the nominations and the promises of better times in the new century. But as we saw previously better times did not include young Truman at this time. As I said earlier Truman was out of work and looking for a job. His next job, politics turned into a lifelong career. The Kansas City Political " Boss " Tom Pendergast,  whose nephew knew Harry from Army days, backed Truman's run for eastern district judge ( administrative position ) of Jackson County Missouri. Truman campaigned hard and won and he loved the job. He served 2 four year terms. His reputation for integrity and hard work impressed the voters and they eventually elected him to a U. S. senate seat in 1934.  During 1938 - 1941 he served a second term as senator. In  1944 Truman was elected as vice president of Franklin D. Roosevelt as Roosevelt was elected to his fourth term a president. On April 12, 1945 Harry S. Truman became the 33rd president of the U. S. States  upon the sudden death of Roosevelt.

A few of his major achievements are :

   a. May 8 1945 -Announces the end of the war in Europe.

   b. 1945 Attends the Potsdam, Germany conference with Joseph Stalin,and Winston Churchill

   c. 1945 Authorizes the use of the atomic bomb

   d. Aug 14, 1945 Announces the surrender of Japan.

   e. 1947 Issues the Truman Doctrine.

   f.  1947 Signs the National Security Act which established the Central Intelligence Agency.

   g. 1947 His mother dies.

   h. 1948 Desegregates the armed forces.

   i. 1948 Orders the air lift against the Soviet Union's blockade of Berlin.

   j. May 14, 1948 Truman was the first world leader to recognize the new state of Israel.

   k. 1948 Elected to second term as President of the U. S. States. 

   l. 1950 Orders U. S. Troops to join South Korean troops in fight against invading North Korean             Communist.

   m. Proclaims state of emergency when China aids North Korea. 

   n. 1951 - His popularity drops as U. S. efforts in the Korean War grows.

  o. 1951 - He fires Far East commander General Douglas MacArthur for criticizing his foreign policies.

   p. 1953 - 1957 The Korean War ends. He retires to Independence, Missouri. He dedicates the Harry S. Truman Library.

   q. December 26, 1972 Truman dies at the age of 88 and is buried at the Harry S. Truman Library.

   r. October 18, 1982 Bess Truman dies at the age of 97 and is buried  is buried next to Harry  

Harry S. Truman served as an artillery officer during the First World War. His unit was equipped with 

      French 75 mm field guns identical to the one shown here.

Description Of Gun Truman's Unit Used

President's Personal Car

 Mrs. Truman's Personal Car

Description Of  Harry And Bess Truman Personal Cars

Truman's Official Car

Tools of the trade for reporters and columnist who Truman waged a private war with during his presidency He felt they were Republicans who provided a hostile and blurred view of his administration. He was known to call his press critics as " gutter snipes ", character assassins, and their news papers " lie outlets '. In particular he bristled at criticism of Margaret's singing talents.

Truman Saw Great Strides In Transportation During His Life

Early Buggy

Presidential Yacht USS Williamsburg

Little White House In Key West Florida

I said earlier that much of the story about Truman's years as president was told as front page of the newspaper. Following are photos of key news paper articles so you can read the headlines.

Truman's Office At The Truman Library & Museum

Statue of President Truman Looking Out Into Garden Area Of Library And Museum

Graves Of President Truman And Bess Truman

Grave Of Bess Wallace Truman

Grave Of Harry S. Truman

Grave Of Margaret Truman Daniel And Her Husband E. Clifton Daniel, Jr. Buried At The Truman Presidential Library And Museum 

Memorial For Members Of Armed Forces Serving In Hawaii During 

Attack By The Japanese Dec. 7, 1942

Thus concludes my comments on my tour of the Truman Presidential Library and Museum. I enjoyed my time in the museum. I think in part because I was a product of this time in history and so much of what was happening made a big impact on me and my family. If you are in the Kansas City, Missouri area I strongly recommend you take a day and see this facility. I had planned to go from Independence to St Louis to see the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site  but I changed my plans because of the massive storms in Oklahoma. I headed north and then east toward Hannibal Missouri. and spent the night in Acron, Missouri.

My next posting will be about Mark Twain's boyhood Home and Museum as I keep an eye on the road and on weather channel to try and figure where all the tornado's are going. Remember what I always say " God Loves you and so do I. "

Grandpa Bill

              Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength.

Deut. 6:5