Truman’s White House Rose Garden
When Harry Truman was thrust into the presidency in 1945, he inherited not only the Oval Office but also the White House Rose Garden. Also known as the “West Garden,” the outdoor venue was used frequently by President Truman to honor veterans and public servants, hold swearing-in ceremonies, and welcome visitors. During the White House renovation (1948–1952), heavy equipment and construction damaged some plantings; others were removed entirely. Before the Trumans left the White House, however, new specimens were planted and the garden was returned to its former splendor. Photos taken by Margaret Truman in 1952—newly scanned by the Truman Library—offer vivid, full-color views of the restored Rose Garden. For the next seven decades, it would continue to evolve while serving as a formal ceremonial site at the People’s House. With a new round of White House renovations underway, enjoy these vintage views of a bygone garden.
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PRESIDENTIAL WELCOME TO THE WHITE HOUSE ROSE GARDEN
DURING HIS FINAL MONTHS in the White House, President Truman greeted delegates to the Theater Owners Convention who were assembled in the garden. His brief message—off the cuff, entertaining and classic Truman—ranges from historic moments in the Rose Garden to the burdens of the presidency.
TRANSCRIPT: “…This rose garden here is quite a place for gatherings of this sort. I have received people here from every section of the United States. I have awarded Congressional Medals of Honor here in this rose garden. In fact, I pinned a medal on General Montgomery here in this rose garden once, and gave the Congressional Medal of Honor to General Wainwright [see photos, below]—and have given General Marshall and General Eisenhower all medals out here in this garden. …
“I hope you will enjoy yourselves while you are here in Washington, and that you will go home with a good idea of your Government.
“We do a lot of work here in this city that people don’t understand. They take it for granted that the President lives in a plush house and that he just spends his day enjoying himself, meeting people such as you, and that he doesn’t have anything to do.
“My day starts at 6 o’clock in the morning and ends at 11 o’clock at night. I work 17 hours a day, every day in the year. And when I happen to be away from the White House for a day, like yesterday when I went to Philadelphia for that hospital meeting, it sometimes takes me a week to catch up with things that pile up on the desk.
“But it’s no playboy’s business. Unless you want to work, why you have got no business hunting for a job in the White House.”
Although captured in black and white, these historic images from the Truman Library’s online photo collection highlight the timeless elegance of America’s favorite rose garden, first established by First Lady Ellen Wilson in 1913. (Click the left and right arrows to scroll through this selection.)
“This rose garden here is quite a place for gatherings of this sort. I have received people here from every section of the United States.” -President Harry S. Truman
(Click arrows to see all 7 photos.)
PHOTO SLIDER (ABOVE): Secretary of State Byrnes receives the Distinguished Service Medal; 4-H members present President Truman with the Key Award; Admiral Nimitz receives the Gold Star; President Truman meets in the Rose Garden with members of Girls Nation, a civic organization; President Truman stands with Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. William G. Harrell; Tom Clark is sworn in as Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court; President Truman meets with delegates from Boys Nation.
PRESIDENT TRUMAN was the first American president to formally honor an African American service member at the White House—and he chose the Rose Garden for the occasion. Brigadier General Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. (1877–1970) had a distinguished career spanning the Philippine–American War through World War I, becoming the first Black American to attain that rank in the U.S. Army. On July 20, 1948, Truman officiated his retirement ceremony, recognizing his trailblazing service. Just six days later, on July 26, 1948, Truman signed Executive Order 9981, desegregating the armed forces.
PRINCESS ELIZABETH and her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, arrived in Washington, D.C., on October 31, 1951, for their first visit to America. With the White House under renovation, they stayed at Blair House with President Truman and his family. On November 2, the Rose Garden hosted the presentation of a State gift—a 17th-century trumeau, later hung above the mantel in the Queen’s Bedroom on the Second Floor of the White House—adding a royal touch to the refurbished residence.
Thanks to the Library of Congress’s online archive of negatives, we can take part in a typical Rose Garden ceremony. Here, President Truman presents the Medal of Honor to Army Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright. He was among the few U.S. military leaders aboard the USS Missouri for the surrender of Japan.
(Quality of these 6 images reflects limitations of the scanned photo negatives.)
ABOVE: This photograph of Admiral Nimitz’s Gold Star ceremony (October 5, 1945) shows the White House Rose Garden as both comfortable and elegant—an outdoor space that warmly welcomed guests while elevating any occasion. Visit TrumanLibrary.gov to view more photos in this series.
ALTHOUGH heavily impacted by the White House renovation (above), the Rose Garden was restored in 1952 (below).
These rarely viewed photos of the restored Rose Garden were taken by Margaret Truman. Handwritten inscriptions include: Rose Garden from roof of Dad’s office 1952, Rose Garden West Wing 1952, Rose Garden South Portico 1952, Rose Garden from balcony 1952. She was 28 years old. (Click left/right arrows to view all 6 photos in this series.)
THE TRUMAN LIBRARY’S photo collection includes stereoscopic slides like this one. Viewed through a stereoscope (like a View-Master), the two nearly identical images create a three-dimensional effect. The 1950s fad has preserved what might be the only opportunity for future generations to experience—with mid-century VR technology—the White House Rose Garden.
Copyright © 2025 Truman Library Institute. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are in the public domain and courtesy of the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum.
