To Look Forward With Unbounded Hope
Born in a two-room cottage, Herbert Hoover could have been any small town boy. Orphaned at age nine, he left West Branch, never to live here again. The landscape and buildings of the early years remain, however, to tell how family, faith, education, and hard work opened a world of opportunity— even the presidency of the United States— to a child of simple beginnings.
Features
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Birthplace of Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover called the cottage where he was born in 1874 "physical proof of the unbounded opportunity of American life."
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Presidential Library and Museum
The papers of President and Mrs. Hoover are among those housed in the library archives. Museum exhibits tell the story of Hoover's life and career.
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Gravesite of President and Mrs. Hoover
The graves of Herbert and Lou Henry Hoover overlook the president's birthplace and the landscape which commemorates his accomplishments and ideals.
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Tallgrass Prairie
The reconstructed prairie is a memorial to President Hoover's love of the outdoors where visitors can connect with Iowa's lost landscapes.
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Blacksmith Shop
Hoover's father, a skilled and ambitious businessman, in his short life he had provided an example of the Quaker work ethic for his children.
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Friends Meetinghouse
The values of the Quakers, expressed by his parents and the community, played an important role in shaping Herbert Hoover's life.
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Schoolhouse
Herbert learned reading, writing, and arithmetic, and came to admire presidents Washington and Lincoln, whose portraits hang on the walls.
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Statue of Isis
This bronze statue was a gift from the people of Belgium in gratitude for Hoover's famine relief efforts on their behalf during World War I.
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Join the Hoover Association
Our nonprofit partner supports the collection, interpretation, and preservation of historical resources relating to Hoover’s life and ideals.
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Did You Know?
Herbert Hoover was the first person born west of the Mississippi River to become president. Seven other presidents were born west of the river. More...