GRANDVIEW, Mo. — The Truman Farm property hasn’t seen any changes to its landscape in decades, but the wait is over. The National Park Service (NPS) took over management duties of the property in 1994 and after months of planning have ideas on how to improve the grounds.
The NPS is now sharing the proposals and wants public input. The Cultural Landscape Report/Historic Structures Report synthesizes prior historic research on the construction of the farm buildings, development of agricultural fields, and historic use of the property. It traces activities at the farm over time. A series of alternatives are presented, with the proposal of a preferred option for protecting and maintaining these resources into the future. The NPS has contracted with a multi-disciplinary team of architects, landscape architects, and engineers to develop the alternatives, and has brainstormed and tentatively evaluated the alternatives over the past year.
The NPS says upgrades to the farm will ultimately make the public tour experience better allowing them to showcase what like was like on the Truman Farm. On the farm, Truman lived with parents, grandmother, brother and sister working long days tending livestock and raising crops.
“It’s on the farm where he learned those important virtues that he used throughout his life. hard work, determination and never giving up,” said Mike Ryan, NPS Supervisory Ranger.
That’s the side of Truman NPS wants to share with its tours. Some of the proposed changes are a walking path, and more trees to seclude the farm from retail development.
“There’s enough for a visitor to walk the grounds and kind of get a feel or notion of what life must have been like for mr. truman back then,” said Ryan.
To view the full report on the Truman Farm and comment on the project.
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