Truman Annex

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Official log of Harry Truman's March 12 to April 10, 1950 visit to Key West (from Truman Library)[1]
Official log of Harry Truman's March 12 to April 10, 1950 visit to Key West (from Truman Library)[1]

Truman Annex is a neighborhood in Old Town, Key West, Florida where the winter White House for President Harry S. Truman during its days as part of the Key West Naval Station is located.

[edit] Naval Station Annex

The annex got its start in 1845 as part of the Fort Zachary Taylor army base. The base was eventually taken over in 1947 as the "Fort Zachary Taylor Annex" to the Key West Naval Station. New docks had been added in 1932 to make it a home base for submarines. The base was mostly decommissioned in 1974 because nuclear submarines were too big.

The Navy's primary base, the Naval Air Station Key West, continues to operate about three miles northwest of the annex on Boca Chica Key.

Most of the annex was sold to private developers who have made it a gated residential community.

32.4 acres of the Truman Annex Navy were transferred to the City of Key West at no cost to be used for green space and to protect a neighborhood known as "Bahama Village" which is home to many citizens of African-Bahamian decent.

Many refugees from the Mariel boatlift arrived via the Annex.

In March 2006, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration dedicated the Key West Weather Forecasting Office in the annex. The office is designed to withstand the surge and effects of a Category 5 hurricane.

The area around the actual brick fort has been turned into a state park.

The ship berthing dock and the Outer Mole (Harbor) have been retained by the Navy which dredges the harbor and collects 40 percent of cruise ship docking fees.

The Annex was renamed the "Truman Annex" after Truman spent his winters in Key West in the annex.

Official log of Harry Truman's December 3-8, 1947 visit to Key West. Early logs of his trips were quite primitive (from Truman Library)[2]
Official log of Harry Truman's December 3-8, 1947 visit to Key West. Early logs of his trips were quite primitive (from Truman Library)[2]

[edit] Harry S. Truman Little White House

Harry S. Truman Little White House
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
Harry S. Truman Little White House
Location: Monroe County, Florida, USA
Nearest city: Key West, Florida
Established: February 12, 1974
Governing body: National Park Service

The Harry S. Truman Little White House in Key West, Florida was the winter White House for President Harry S. Truman for 175 days during 11 visits.

The house was originally waterfront when it was built in 1890 as the first officer's quarters on the naval station. The wooden duplex contained Quarters A for the base commandant and Quarters B for the paymaster.

In the beginning of the 20th century, the home was converted into a single family dwelling to house the base commandant and additional land was filled in front of the house. The waterfront view was eventually blocked by a new building at the station.

Thomas Edison resided in the house during World War I while donating his services to the Navy.

During the Truman visits, Cabinet members and foreign officials were regular visitors for fishing trips and poker games. Truman visited Key West shortly after his 1948 re-election and Division Street was renamed Truman Avenue in his honor.

After Truman left office he returned to Key West several times and stayed at various other places.

In 1948-49 General Dwight D. Eisenhower held a series of meetings that resulted in the creation of the Department of Defense. He returned in 1956 as President to recuperate from a heart attack.

John Kennedy and British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan held a one day summit here in 1961. President Kennedy made a second visit in 1962 immediately following the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The house served as the Naval Station commandant's house until 1974. On February 12 of that year, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. In 1991, the house opened as a state historic site & museum. Former President Jimmy Carter and family had a reunion here in 1996. In April, 2001, Secretary of State Colin Powell opened a week of OSCE peace talks, led by Minsk Group Co-Chairman Carey Cavanaugh between President Robert Kocharian of Armenia and Geidar Aliyev of Azerbaijan.

[edit] References and external links


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