Truman Walking Tour
Walking Tour Map in pdf Format
223 North Main
Designed by architect Hal Wheelock. Built in 1928 by J.E. Dunn, contractor. This city
building was renovated for use as a Ticket Center and offices for the Nation Park Service
in 1983-84
217 North Main
Open for tours by the Jackson County Historical Society. The two-story brick house on the
street was home for the Marshal and the two-story stone jail is attached to the rear of the
house. The early 20th century two-story brick addition is now used for offices and museum
exhibit space and the original kitchen is the gift shop.
100 West Maple
Constructed by G.W. Clinton as a commercial block after fire destroyed the earlier
building in 1906. Clinton Drugstore relocated into the corner building after the fire.
112 West Lexington
The 1932-33 renovation and expansion plans bear the name
of Harry S Truman as presiding judge. This building
incorporated parts of all preceding brick courthouses on this
site.
417 West Maple (Private)
The original shop was located at 214 North Main Street. This brick shop addition to the
Miller Home was made about 1965, and their shop moved here. George was Harry's barber,
and Doris was Bess's hairdresser.
416 West Maple
Built as the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building in 1926, with Alonzo H. Gentry as
architect and M.T. Colgan as builder. This building served as a community center until
it closed in 1996. Harry Truman, a World War I veteran, oversaw its dedication on July
4, 1926. Complete restoration and rehabilitation was completed in 2002 so residents could
use the facilities for meetings, dances, performances, and athletic events.
100 North Pleasant
Designed by the firm of Nier, Hogg, and Byram and built by local contractors Christian
Yetter and J.W. Adams in 1888. Features three elaborate rose windows in gable ends. The
education wing was added in 1924.
601 West Maple (Private)
Built for Anton J. Bundschu around 1890 and remodeled by the family after 1907 to update
the home and make it less Victorian. The Bundschu Store was built by this family on the
east side of the square in 1928.
611 West Maple
A registered historic tree first marked by the Independence Garden Club in 1931. Truman
was fond of this old tree and often told it that it was doing a good job on his walks.
216 North Delaware
A Queen Anne Cottage constructed over a 25-year period
between 1858 and 1880. It was the home for Anthony Slack
from 1865 until he built a large Queen Anne house on the ground to the north.
In 1900 the Noland family rented the house and then bought it in 1908. It
remained in the family name until sale to the National Park Service in 1986.
219 North Delaware
Built in several stages. George Potterfield Gates purchased
this property with a small one-story house in 1867 and later built a
two-story addition. By 1886, the large Queen Anne
front addition had been constructed by the Gates. His
daughter, Margaret Gates married David Wallace in 1883.
Their daughter, Elizabeth (Bess) Virginia Wallace married
Harry S Truman in 1919. This house remained the Truman's
home until Bess's death in 1982.
304 North Delaware
Built as a small brick two-room house in 1853. The Italianate
two-story brick front was added in 1858. Home to a number
of families prior to 1921, it was occupied by the Choplin
family for more than 70 years. It was damaged in 1994 when the
front wall collapsed because of foundation drainage problems
and was successfully rehabilitated through community
efforts.
310 North Delaware (Private)
Spanish Colonial Revival House built in 1926 as a duplex for
Mrs. Ella W. Buchanan and her daughter and son-and-law,
Frances and Ora C. Myers. Purchased by P.D. and Pearle Bush in 1945 who later deeded it
to their twin daughters Virginia and Elizabeth Bush. Elizabeth married Carl H. Sapper Jr.
in 1955. They lived there until the property sold in 1992 to LaVonne E. Moore.
318 North Delaware
Built by architect Robert L. McBride in 1913 and occupied by the Sollars family in the
1910s; the Dunn family in the 1920s and 1930s, Polly Compton in the 1960s and 1970s. A
good example of Craftsman/Prairie style architecture.
426 North Delaware (Private)
The Kelly family moved into this 1910 home built for the
Baldwin family. Charles Kelly was a Jackson County deputy
sheriff for several years. It is a four square craftsman style
home that has a hipped roof with bellcast eaves.
510 North Delaware (Private)
Built in 1887 as designed by T. B. Smith for the Aaron
Sawyer family. Aaron's son, Lock H. Sawyer, sold the house
to the Frank Jennings family in the early 1920s. It was
honored by the Jackson County Historical Society in 1976 for
their preservation efforts. Rehabilitated in 1995, it is one of
the few brick Queen Anne houses remaining in
Independence.
602 North Delaware (Private)
An 1887 frame Queen Anne that was built by W.T. Cooper
and was home to Maria J. Fletcher, a widow who took in
boarder. The house was sold to the Bostonian Family in 1905.
610 North Delaware (Private)
This stately old Burr Oak once stood in the front yard of the Wallace Home before that
house was replaced by the present building in 1922. "Bess" Wallace and her parents lived on
this site form 1887 to 1903. Bess and her mother moved into the Gates/Wallace House at 219
N. Delaware that year.
618 North Delaware (Private)
This English Cottage house was built before 1916 for the McDavitt family who operated a
drug company on the Courthouse Square. The Thice family, both practicing lawyers, lived
here for several years.
702 North Delaware (Private)
A two-story Queen Anne house dating from 1887. Features
many stained glass windows, a corner tower, a bay window
and a wrap-around porch. Sited on a double corner lot.
Delaware & Bess Truman Pkwy
Refers to the African-American neighborhood that once
occupied this valley. It was platted as the Hendrickson
Addition, Davis Place and the Atkinson Addition between
1858 and 1888 with small narrow lots that provided space for
the domestic help for middle class families of Delaware
Street. McCoy Park and Bess Truman Parkway were created
after the Truman Library was located to the north.
US 24 Hwy and North Delaware
Designed by Gentry, Voscam, Neild and Somdal of
Louisiana. Henry J. Massman and Slavatore Patti companies
built it in 1956-57. In 1967 a southern wing for offices was
added and the courtyard was enclosed in 1972. A major
renovation and expansion was completed in 2001.
635 North Delaware (Private)
A 1937 frame house that was home to the Stewarts for
several decades. Bryon A. Stewart was co-owner of the
Stewart Electric Company and an attorney with partner John
W. Clements.
633 North Delaware (Private)
1937 Tudor Revival house built for Hiram and Julie Sea. He
was a lawyer who worked as manager of the John Sea
Abstract Company. The George M. Hare family purchased this house in 1951. It
was sold out of the Hare family in 2001.
631 North Delaware (Private)
Built ca. 1905 and home to several families before Mize R.
Peters lived here from 1924 to the early 1950s. He ran a drug
store on the Courthouse Square.
627 North Delaware (Private)
Frame home for the Abraham Myers family when firs The Boston archi tectural firm of Sturgis and
Brigham are credited with the design of the early Gothic
Revival Church. Local contractors William M. Randell did
the brick work, P. Morgan did the foundation, and J.W. Adams was the carpenter. Harry and Bess were married here on June 28, 1919; Margaret Truman married Clifton Daniel on April 21, 1956; and Mrs. Truman's funeral was held here in 1982.
601 West Truman Road (Not open to the Public)
Bungalow built on what had been part of a pasture and
garden plot for the Gates/Wallace house. Frank and Natalie
Wallace lived here until 1960. This and the adjoining home
of his brother have always been considered part if the
Wallace/Truman family complex. It is now part of the
Truman National Historic Site.
605 West Truman (Not open to the public)
Bungalow built for George and Mary Frances (May)
Wallace before their marriage in 1916. He worked for the
Jackson County Highway Department for 27 years. The side
yard of this house was once also part of the Gates/Wallace
house grounds. It is now part of the Truman National Historic
Site.
909 West Waldo (Private)
1886 Queen Anne home to young Harry Truman for six years.
The area around this house changed from rural to urban after
the Truman family left in 1902. The house was changed with
the addition made to the east end and the removal of the wrap
around porch. What had been garden and carriage house
areas are now other home sites.
101 North Main (Upper floors private)
Independence Harmonicon Society met on the upper floors of
this building. The building was remodeled and enlarged
around 1921 for the Farmers and Merchants Bank on the first
floor. After the bank closed, the building housed a drug store,
a confectionary store, and a loan company at street level.
Professional offices were located on the upper floors.