Independence anchors Harry Truman's story

Independence is strongly associated with Harry S. Truman, who lived there for much of his life. The National Park Service maintains the Harry S Truman National Historic Site connected to his Independence home, and the Truman presidential library and museum is also in the area. For visitors and residents these official sites are the place to start for accurate history rather than secondhand accounts. The Truman connection is a defining part of Independence’s civic identity and a good entry point into mid-20th-century history tied directly to the town.