Truman Annex History:
Situated west of Whitehead Street, this part of the island was aptly named because it was where United States President Harry S. Truman spent the winter.
During that time, Truman Annex was actually part of the Naval Station Key West.
Today, the Harry S. Truman Little White House in Key West is known for being the winter home of President Truman for 175 days over 11 visits during his tenure.
More on the Historic Home at Truman Annex
The Harry S. Truman Little White House itself has quite a bit of history to it! Built in 1890, the home was originally a waterfront home and was built to be the first officer’s quarters on the submarine base naval station.
The wooden duplex also contained Quarters for the base commandant as well as the paymaster.
By 1911, the home had been converted into a single family home, which is where the base commandant resided.
Eventually, because of development, the home’s waterfront view was blocked from site.
Although the home is known for President Truman’s stays later in history, the first president to actually visit the home was William Howard Taft in December 1912.
At the time, he was visiting in order to later sail to Panana to check in on the development of the canal there.
Later, Thomas Edison lived in the house during World War I.
The Key West home remained command headquarters throughout the second World War.
Then, in November 1946, President Truman made his first visit to the home. He continued to visit throughout his presidency.
Later, in 1947, this Key West Home witnessed history when James Forrestal met with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to create the Department of Defense. Later, that document was called the Key West Agreement.
Other visitors to this historic Key West house include:
- Foreign dignitaries
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
- John Kennedy
- British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan
- Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton
And here’s another fun fact about this house: President John Kennedy made a second visit to this Key West home immediately after the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.
It’s truly incredible all the history that this home was witness to during its existence! Today the home is a museum and open to the public.
More on the History of Truman Annex
The Truman Annex was originally apart of Fort Zachary Taylor around 1845. This fort was a U.S. Army installation.
But in 1947, the annex was taken over by the Naval Station Key West. In 1932, the Navy added new docks to accommodate their submarines.
Eventually, in 1974, the base was decommissioned because modern nuclear submarines were too large to house in the facility.
Still, the Navy still continues to operate its installation, the Naval Air Station Key West, about six miles east of the annex. That installation is located on Boca Chica Key.
While most of the area around Fort Taylor is now controlled by the state of Florida as part of the Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, a lot of the annex was actually sold to private developers.
Overtime, most the annex has been transformed into an incredible gated residential community. Meanwhile, about 32.4 acres were given to the City of Key West to add to green space in the area.
The city also oversees the neighborhood known as Bahama Village, which has many citizens of African-Bahamian descent.
There’s even one part of the military installation that continues to be used. That installation is known today as the Naval Air Station Key West – Truman Annex.
Truman Annex Area Homes in Key West, Florida
The planned community at Truman Annex totals just six blocks and was designed to capture the historical integrity of the community.
This part of Key West features luxury homes, townhomes and condos. There’s even a bed & breakfast located at Truman Annex.
Here are some of the types of homes you’ll find at Truman Annex:
- Victorian Style condominiums, which often feature two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Amenities include a shared pool and high speed Internet.
- Truman Annex Townhomes, which generally comes with more than 2 bedrooms.
- Truman Annex Estate Homes. These grand homes come with such elegant features as crown molding, high ceilings and spacious bedrooms. Residents in this part of Truman Annex typically have access to the Southard Court pool.
Recreational Amenities in and around Truman Annex
As previously mentioned, Truman Annex is located right next to Old Town Key West. It’s also quite close to all of the shopping, dining and entertainment venues offered in Key West, including:
- Mallory Square Sunset Festival
- Duval Street
- Various museum
- Ft. Zach Beach
And thanks to its incredible layout, you don’t even need a car to get around Truman Annex! While plenty of parking is available – most people prefer to just go bicycling or ride a scooter.
Purchase a Home at Truman Annex in Key West, Florida Now!
If you’re interested in learning more about what makes Truman Annex such a distinctive community on the Key West Florida real estate market, then please contact me, Margarita Villoch, today!
I will be happy to assist you by providing expert advice as well as answering any lingering questions you may have.
You may also be interested in browsing some of my helpful Key West home buying resources, which include:
Already living in this Key West community and considering selling your home? Contact me today to discover how much your Truman Annex home is really worth!
Neighborhood Summary: