Presidential Families Weekend Set for Feb. 13-17 at Key West’s ‘Little White House’

KEY WEST, Florida Keys — Descendants of former presidents Jimmy Carter, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Ulysses S. Grant and Grover Cleveland are to discuss their famous relatives and the importance of historic preservation Saturday, Feb. 15, at Key West’s Harry S. Truman Little White House.

The Presidential Families Weekend Forum is to be the centerpiece of Presidents Day weekend activities presented by the Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation and The Society of Presidential Descendants. Scheduled Thursday through Monday, Feb. 13-17, events are headquartered at the 111 Front St. residence where Truman spent 11 working vacations during his 1945-1953 administration. Today the property is Florida’s only presidential museum. 

In addition, actor and author Clifton Truman Daniel, Truman’s oldest grandson, is to portray his grandfather in the renowned one-man play “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!” at the former commander in chief’s retreat. 

Saturday’s forum is to feature Daniel, Carter’s grandson James Carter, Eisenhower’s granddaughter Mary Jean Eisenhower, Roosevelt’s great-grandson Tweed Roosevelt, Taft’s great-granddaughter Patricia Taft, Grant’s great-great-grandson Ulysses Grant Dietz, and Cleveland’s great-great-grandson Massee McKinley. 

Titled “Historical Preservation: Artifacts, Objects, and Sites,” the group’s panel discussion is to be moderated by Dr. Kurt Graham, former director of Missouri’s Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum. Gates open at 4 p.m. and the presentation is set for 4:30 p.m. on the gracious grounds of the Little White House.

Performances of “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!” are scheduled at 4:30 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Feb. 16 and 17, also on the Little White House grounds. An engaging exploration of Truman’s life and presidency, the production features “Harry” addressing the audience on topics including a president's role, war concerns and his predecessors in office. 

Other long weekend activities include a kickoff “Happy Hour at Harry’s” cocktail gathering at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, a Presidents Day cookout set for midday Monday, guided tours of the Little White House and self-guided botanical lawn tours. 

In addition to being Truman’s working headquarters, the Little White House also has hosted former presidents Carter, Eisenhower, Taft, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton. 

Event information and ticketing: trumanlittlewhitehouse.org/foundation/events