Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

National Park Service, Iowa.

Orphaned at age nine, Herbert Hoover left West Branch never to live here again. In later years, he returned to his humble birthplace to celebrate his long career of public service. A memorial landscape remains to tell his story: how community, hard work, honesty, and usefulness to others opened a world of opportunity— and the presidency of the United States— to a child of simple beginnings.

Nearby Activities

  • Hiking
  • Historic & Cultural Site
  • Picnicking
  • Wildlife Viewing

Directions

Take exit 254 off Interstate 80 to West Branch, Iowa. The Visitor Center is 0.3 mile north of Interstate 80.

Additional Information

  • Herbert Hoover National Historic Site Official Website
  • Herbert Hoover National Historic Site Map

Photo Gallery

  • Herbert Hoover Birthplace CottageHerbert Hoover called his humble birthplace "physical proof of the unbounded opportunity of American life."
  • Gravesite of President & Mrs. HooverTwo simple marble slabs mark the graves of Herbert and Lou Henry Hoover.
  • Herbert Hoover Presidential Library & MuseumExhibit galleries and archival collections tell of the triumphs and tragedies of Hoover’s long career in public service.
  • Blacksmith ShopHerbert Hoover's father Jesse owned a blacksmith shop similar to the one at Herbert Hoover NHS.
  • SchoolhouseMany rural Midwestern towns like West Branch placed a high value on education.
  • Friends MeetinghouseThe plainly appointed Friends Meetinghouse and the practices within express Quaker values of peace, simplicity, integrity, and service to others.
  • Statue of IsisThe people of Belgium gave Herbert Hoover the statue "Isis, Goddess of Life" in gratitude for his famine relief efforts on their behalf during the First World War.

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