Foundation problems close Truman Farm Home

By Don Bradley

The Truman Farm Home in Grandview will be closed all summer and maybe longer.

Not because of any budget cutting at the federal level, but because it’s a 130-year-old house and the foundation is crumbling.

So, anyone who liked a side trip to the historic farm as part of Harry’s Hay Days will have to settle for a chicken coop and a walk around the grounds this year.

Harry’s Hay Days runs May 2-3.

The Farm Home typically has special attractions, including something for children, related to the annual celebration.

“But unfortunately, we won’t be able to do that this year,” said Kristen Stalling, cultural resources manager for the Truman National Historic Site.

Workers had begun the foundation repair project, but the problem turned out to be more extensive than initially thought.

Now there is a delay as additional funding is procured.

Stalling said the delay is standard bureaucracy and not related to any ongoing budget cuts.

“We hope to have the work done sometime late summer,” Stalling said. “The grounds are open, but in-house tours are not happening this summer.”

The two-story house at 12301 Blue Ridge was built in 1894. A young Harry Truman moved there in 1906 and ran the family farm for 11 years before joining the Army and leaving for World War I.

Besides the house, an old chicken coop is about all that remains of the old farm.