Harry Truman was an Independence boy and straight-talking Midwesterner who became one of America's greatest and most beloved presidents. He loved it here so much, he returned home to Independence after serving in the White House. Here, you can retrace his steps from before and after his presidency.

Stop in the soda fountain where young Harry had his first job. See the sites where this world leader went to school, met his wife, had an occasional glass of whiskey and played penny-stakes poker. Don't miss the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, Truman Home and the little-known, but very surprising Truman Courtroom and Office. Get the straight story on this straight shooter with an authentic look at real history, right here in Independence, Missouri.

Day 1
Head to the Truman Library & Museum to learn about his life and presidency including a replica of his oval office and the famous “The Buck Stops Here” sign. Don't miss Truman's working office where he worked after his presidency as well as the gravesites of Harry & Bess Truman in the courtyard.

Take a guided tour of Jackson County's Historic Truman Courthouse on Independence Square where Truman served as the Presiding Judge of Jackson County. The building is home to the Harry S. Truman Courtroom and Office, Brady Courtroom, Jackson County Museum of Art, the City of Independence Visitor Experience Center, and Jackson County Historical Society History Center and Bookshop.

Then, enjoy a treat at Clinton's Soda Fountain, the site of Harry Truman's first job. This is a privately-owned soda fountain and gift shop on the Independence Square. Just down the street, tour the Harry S Truman National Historic Site Visitor Center. Watch a video about our 33rd president, then browse the gift shop at this Visitor Center run by the National Park Service.

Day 2
Follow the 2.7 mile Truman Walking Trail, which was inspired by Truman's walks throughout Independence. The trail contains 43 plaques embedded in the sidewalks throughout the National Historic Landmark District.

Tour the Harry S. Truman Home, the house Harry Truman called home for more than five decades. The National Historic Site is operated by the National Park Service. The home is open for guided tours, where you can discover the simple life Truman lived before and after his presidency. Across the street experience the self-guided tour of the Noland Home, where Harry Truman's cousins lived. Learn about the relationship that developed as Harry would stay in the home of his relatives while he was getting more acquainted with Bess.

Finally, conclude your Truman tour at the Truman Depot. Also known as Missouri Pacific Depot, the depot currently serves as an Amtrak train station in Independence, MO. It is affectionately called the Truman Depot because it was the final stop in Harry Truman's 1948 Whistlestop Campaign where 8,500 admirers welcomed Truman in January 1953 when he returned home after leaving office. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

To learn more, go to VisitIndependence.com.