In May 2010 The Atlantic calculated the net worth of all 43 American presidents, from Washington to Obama ( and reminded readers that Grover Cleveland was president twice), JFK’s $1 billion estate ( in today’s dollars) topped the list. We were curious where Harry Truman landed and weren’t surprised to discover that his net worth at the time of his death in December 1972 placed him in the lowest income bracket. Of our 20th and 21st century chief executives, only the estates of Wilson, Coolidge and Truman were worth less than $1 million. We suspect this would be a point of pride for Mr. Truman, who once declared, “I would much rather be an honorable public servant and known as such than to be the richest man in the world”.
Archive for the ‘Harry S. Truman’ Category
What’s a President Worth?
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010
Even the President Gets Counted
Tuesday, March 16th, 20102010 is a census year in the United States, which is basically the government’s way of doing a head count. In 1950, another census year, the Truman family was vacationing in Key West. While on the island, the census caught up with the president and his family and they were interviewed on the lawn. As the picture shows, the Truman family, especially Mrs. Truman and Margaret enjoyed the line of questioning directed at the president. Even the the President of the United States is not immune to the questions of census as he was asked, “What is your occupation?”
Happy Birthday Mrs. Truman!
Friday, February 5th, 2010In honor of the 125th birthday of Bess Truman, the Harry S. Truman Little White House will be serving birthday cake visitors to the house on Saturday, February 13, 2010. Mrs. Truman was a frequent visitor to Key West, accompanying her husband during five of his visits to the Southernmost City. Saturday, February 13 will also mark the debut of a new exhibit Bess Truman.
Elizabeth Virginia Wallace Truman was born on February 13, 1885 in Independence, MO. She first met Harry Truman in the first grade and married him on June 28, 1919. Their only child, Margaret was born in 1924. In 1934, Truman was elected to the US Senate and in 1944, as Vice President of the United States. Upon the death of President Roosevelt in 1945, Bess Truman became First Lady when her husband became the 33rdPresident of the United States. An extremely private person, Mrs. Truman would spend much of her husband’s presidency in Missouri, returning to Washington only for the social season.
Bess Truman died in 1982 of congestive heart failure at the age of 97 and is the longest lived First Lady in US history. Mrs. Truman is buried next to her husband at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri.
Harry & Bess Truman on their wedding day June 28, 1919.
This is an Important Day in History….
Thursday, November 19th, 2009
On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address to dedicate the national military cemetery. “ Four Score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” Starting in 1948, President Harry Truman began a series of five Executive Orders to help fulfill the dream that all men are treated as equals.
EO 9808 created first Civil Rights Commission; EO 9980 desegregated the federal workforce; EO 9981 desegregated the US military; EO 10210 and EO10308 ( issued from Key West Little White House ) required federal contractors hire minorities
The dream lives on thanks to the moral courage of Harry Truman.
Key West Picked as Best Presidential Vacation Spot
Wednesday, August 26th, 2009Harry S Truman had it right over 60 years ago when he made his first visit to Key West in 1946. For those of us who live and play in Key West, we know this as well. Let’s hope President Obama takes a look at this poll when planning his next vacation!
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2009/08/17/whispers-poll-trumans-key-west-bests-obamas-marthas-vineyard.html
Happy Birthday, Harry…
Friday, May 8th, 2009ZD YouTube FLV Player
Today we celebrated Harry S. Truman’s 125th birthday in grand style at the Little White House. In honor of his birthday, we had three different groups of people representing three of his most important decisions: (more…)
Clifton’s Visit to the Little White House
Wednesday, April 1st, 2009
Commanding officer of Naval Air Station Key West, Capt. Steven Holmes, with Clifton.
We welcomed
Harry Truman’s grandson, Clifton Truman Daniel back to the Little White House on Friday, March 13th. Friends and supporters of the Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation recently joined Clifton’s at a cocktail party celebrating the restoration progress of the building and grounds to their 1949 look when President Truman first made Key West his winter White House. (more…)