Jackson County Courthouse (Independence, Missouri)

The Jackson County Courthouse, also known as the Truman Courthouse, in Independence, Missouri is located on Independence Square at Main & Maple Street in Independence.

For the similarly named courthouse in Kansas City, Missouri, see Jackson County Courthouse (Kansas City, Missouri).
Jackson County Courthouse
Location112 W Lexington Ave, Independence, Missouri; bounded by Lexington and Maple Aves. and Liberty and Main Sts., Independence, Missouri
Coordinates39°05′33″N 94°24′59″W
Built1836
ArchitectDavid Frederick Wallace
Architectural styleColonial Revival, Other
NRHP reference No.72000713[1]
Added to NRHPOctober 18, 1972

In 1922, Harry S. Truman won election as county judge for eastern Jackson County as a candidate of the Tom Pendergast faction of the Democratic Party. He failed to be re-elected in 1924, but, then won election as presiding judge in 1926. Truman served in this position in effect as county commissioner for eight years. He divided his time between the two Jackson County courthouses; this one in Independence, and the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City. (Truman later had an office in the Kansas City courthouse during most of his first term as U.S. Senator from 1935 to 1939.)

No county offices are currently in the building. The county offices have moved a few blocks away to the Independence Courthouse Annex, located at 308 W. Kansas.[2] The Jackson County Historical Society office and archives are housed in the building. It underwent a massive renovation to restore President Truman's office and courtroom, and to fix major structural issues.[3]

The courthouse grounds include statues of Presidents Harry S. Truman and Andrew Jackson, and historical markers and monuments commemorate pioneers, the Civil War, and the trails heading west – Santa Fe, California and Oregon trails – that marked the Independence Square as their starting point.

Jackson County Historical Society

The courthouse is now the home of the Jackson County Historical Society. The Society's facilities include a History Center, an Archives and Research Center that is available by appointment, a museum of art, and Harry S Truman Office and Courtroom that is available for guided tours.

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-12-28. Retrieved 2009-08-13.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Saving The historic Jackson County Truman Courthouse". Jackson County, Missouri. December 3, 2013. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.


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