The Jackson County Courthouse, also known as the Truman Courthouse, is a historic courthouse in

Independence, Missouri Independence is a city in and one of two county seats of Jackson County, Missouri, United States. It is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. In 2020 Unite ...

. In 1922, Harry S. Truman won election as county judge for eastern Jackson County as a candidate of the

Tom Pendergast Thomas Joseph Pendergast (July 22, 1872 – January 26, 1945), also known as T. J. Pendergast, was an American political boss who controlled Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri, from 1925 to 1939. Pendergast only briefly held elected ...

faction of the Democratic Party. He failed to be re-elected in 1924, but, then won election as presiding judge in 1926. Truman served in this position in effect as county commissioner for eight years. He divided his time between the two Jackson County courthouses; this one in Independence, and the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City. (Truman later had an office in the Kansas City courthouse during most of his first term as

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

from 1935 to 1939.) No county offices are currently in the building. The county offices have moved a few blocks away to the Independence Courthouse Annex, located at 308 W. Kansas. The Jackson County Historical Society office and archives are housed in the building. It underwent a massive renovation to restore President Truman's office and courtroom, and to fix major structural issues. The courthouse grounds include statues of Presidents Harry S. Truman and

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before Presidency of Andrew Jackson, his presidency, he rose to fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses ...

, and historical markers and monuments commemorate pioneers, the Civil War, and the trails heading west – Santa Fe,

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

and

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

trails – that marked the Independence Square as their starting point.

Jackson County Historical Society

The courthouse is now the home of the Jackson County Historical Society. The Society's facilities include a History Center, an Archives and Research Center that is available by appointment, a museum of art, and

Harry S Truman Office and Courtroom The Harry S. Truman Office and Courtroom was the office used by Harry S. Truman during his early political years. It is located in the Jackson County Courthouse in Independence, Missouri. History The Office used by Truman is available for tours ...

that is available for guided tours.

References

External links

Truman Courthouse
– Jackson County Historical Society Colonial Revival architecture in Missouri Government buildings completed in 1836 County courthouses in Missouri Buildings and structures in Independence, Missouri Clock towers in Missouri Courthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri Tourist attractions in Jackson County, Missouri National Register of Historic Places in Jackson County, Missouri {{JacksonCountyMO-NRHP-stub