In 1867, the grandfather of Bess Walker purchased land in Independence, Missouri. He converted a small house into this 14 room, Victorian mansion. Bess was living here when she met Harry S Truman in 1890 at the age of six in a local elementary school. When they married in 1919, he moved in with her mother and brother. This is where he was a clothing retailer and a judge. It became a summer home during his Washington, D.C. career as senator and vice president. Then, it was the Summer White House while he was the 33rd president. In 1953, he retired here until he died at 88 in 1972.
