National Park Service Announces Temporary Closure of the Truman Home

Harry S Truman NHS News Release
October 7, 2009
For Immediate Release
Larry Villalva (816) 254-2720

INDEPENDENCE, MO--The Truman Home, centerpiece of Harry S Truman National Historic Site, will be closed to public tours beginning Monday, October 19, 2009. The closure is expected to last through spring of 2010. The public is encouraged to visit the park’s official website at http://www.nps.gov/hstr for additional details or to obtain the latest information on when the home will reopen.

New heating, ventilation, cooling (HVAC) and fire suppression systems will be installed in the historic home and plaster will be repaired and stabilized. Historic wallpaper will also be removed from sections of the home, and then cleaned, repaired and reinstalled. These important projects will help preserve and protect the home and its priceless collection of original Truman artifacts for future generations. Collectively these projects represent the largest preservation effort at the Truman Home since the National Park Service (NPS) acquired the property in 1983.

The NPS is the nation’s leading conservation agency. The Truman project is part of the NPS Centennial Initiative, introduced in May 2007 by the Secretary of the Interior. The initiative is a 9-year plan to improve facilities and services in the NPS for the 100th anniversary of the agency in 2016. One of the main goals of the initiative is to ensure stewardship of natural and cultural resources in our national parks. Specifically, these projects include the rehabilitation, restoration, and maintenance of important cultural resources such as the Truman Home.

The Harry S Truman National Historic Site Visitor Center at 223 N. Main Street in Independence will remain open during the closure period. Visitors may view an orientation film about Harry Truman and his life in Independence; see exhibits featuring Truman family treasures; and view photos of the interior of the Truman Home and the ongoing conservation work. NPS staff will be available to answer questions. Walking tours of the Harry S Truman National Historic Landmark District will be offered on selected days. Please inquire at the information desk about these and other activities which may be available during your visit. All activities are offered free of charge.

The Visitor Center is open daily, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Visitor Center is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA

The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. In addition to ranger-led tours of the National Historic Landmark District, the NPS offers three cell phone tours which provide visitors with another option to learn about Harry Truman, both as an individual and as a president. The Truman Farm takes visitors around the grounds of the family farm in Grandview; Around the Corner from the Truman Home gives visitors the
chance to learn about several structures important to Truman throughout his private life; and The Political Education of Harry Truman takes visitors past several buildings that were significant in Truman's early political years. To access the tours, visitors may call (585) 672-2611 from their cell phones. The calls are free; charges may apply based on the user’s individual calling plan. Visitors using the program are also invited to leave comments about the tour with their cell phone. Free maps of the cell phone tours are available at the Visitor Center, or can be downloaded from the park’s official website.

The mission of Harry S Truman National Historic Site is to interpret the broad life experience of President Truman encompassed in the NPS resources in Independence and Grandview and to preserve those resources which tell his life story. The park seeks to educate present and future generations about Truman, his role as a citizen, and his influence on history. For further information, please call the visitor center at (816) 254-9929 or visit the park website at http://www.nps.gov/hstr.