Harry S. Truman Little White House, Key West (must see)

The Harry S. Truman Little White House is one of Key West’s most well-known historic sites, located in the Truman Annex area of Old Town. Built in 1890 as officers’ quarters for the U.S. Navy, the home later became a presidential retreat and earned its nickname as the “Winter White House.” Its biggest connection is to President Harry S. Truman, who spent 175 days here across 11 visits between 1946 and 1952, using the house as a place to work and meet with advisors away from Washington.

The building started out as a wooden duplex known as Quarters A and B, meant for naval leadership on the station. In 1911, it was converted into a single-family home for the base commandant, and over time the surrounding shoreline changed as land was filled in. Beyond Truman, the house also hosted other well-known figures, including the renown inventor Thomas Edison during World War I, and later several U.S. presidents who visited Key West for official trips or private stays.

Today, the property operates as a museum, and visits are typically done through guided tours that walk guests through the rooms where Truman stayed and worked. The tour highlights personal items, photographs, and period details, including Truman’s desk area, which helps the space feel less like a formal monument and more like a real working home. The tone of the museum is practical and story-driven, focusing on what Truman did here, why Key West mattered during that time, and how the house functioned during presidential visits.

The grounds include gardens that can be explored at an easy pace, and the house itself is best known for its simple layout and lived-in feel rather than grand architecture. For anyone interested in U.S. history, it’s one of the few places in Florida with a direct connection to the presidency, and it offers a close look at a very specific chapter in Key West’s story.