Truman Little White House, Key West, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Truman Little White House is a historic house museum at 110 Front Street in Key West, Florida, built in 1890 and best known as the working retreat of President Harry S. Truman. It stands on the old naval station grounds beside the harbor, and it shows how Key West became a place where presidents came to work as well as to rest.

The story behind it

The house was built in 1890 for Navy officers stationed at Key West. Its first documented use by a US president came in 1912, when William Howard Taft stayed on his way to inspect progress on the Panama Canal. That visit set a pattern for the house as a base for what you might call a working vacation.

Its usefulness was not limited to presidents. In 1918, during the First World War, the inventor Thomas Edison stayed here while he worked on naval problems for the war effort. Truman later made the house his own, returning to Key West to escape the pressure of Washington while still running the country. That is how the building came to carry the name it has today.

What to look for

• The pale, wood-built house itself, with its shaded porches, shows how naval officers' quarters were designed for the heat of the Florida Keys.
• The exhibits inside tell the story of the presidents who stayed here, so look for the details that connect each visitor to a different moment in American history.
• The garden and grounds give a sense of how private the house felt, even though it sits close to the harbor and the old naval buildings.
• The surrounding streets of the former naval station show how the military past of Key West shaped the look of this corner of town.

Tips for your visit

• Allow about an hour if you plan to go inside, and check current opening hours and tour arrangements before you set out.
• Go in the morning if you can, when the heat is gentler and the streets nearby are quieter.
• The house is close to the waterfront and Mallory Square, so it combines easily with a walk along the harbor.
• Bring water and sun protection, because much of the surrounding area is open and exposed.

See it on a quest

Buccaneer Booty's been Burgled from Key West: a Ken Clever Mystery is a good way to see this house as one stop on a longer walk through the area. You reach it on foot, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle in front of what you can see. One ticket covers the whole group.

Key West Detective Mystery: Infiltrate a Secret Society. suits anyone who likes a mystery with their history. You walk between the sights at your own pace, hear the story of each place as you get there, and work out a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like.