Herbert Hoover Library in West Branch, Iowa

Here are an assortment of pictures I took at the library. Hoover's birthplace, school and his father's blacksmith shop are all here, as well as the family's Friends place of worship.

This tiny house is where Hoover was born; he and a brother and sister lived here with his folks. They moved into a larger home at some point, but it no longer remains.

Furniture that represents what was there at the time is placed in the home.

We left through the back door to look at the rest of the tour. Note the great jacket Cary his wearing--his thrift store purchase in Chanute!

Hoover's dad's blacksmith shop. He sold this and eventually sold farm machinery. Unfortunately his dad died when he was six, his mom four years later. He and his siblings were split among relatives, then he went to Oregon to live with a doctor who had lost his son.

In the school house

I put this in for my friends and sister-in-law. Herbie the cat adopted this place and lived there many years.

So much to see and learn, but these fabric samples show a war effort to reuse feedsacks, keeping them out of the hands of the Germans who could use the cotton for ammunition production.

Some of the feedsacks were turned into purses. An early repurposing effort. More of which probably went on then than now!

Hoover spent time in Australia and in China.

The Hoovers' home in Palo Alto. I took this after reading that Lou Hoover got all the modern conveniences of the time, except for a refrigerator; she didn't want to put the ice man out of a job!

I enjoyed seeing and reading this; it reminded me of both my sons: Tim would have needed to be on a leash (as he was even on dry land), and both kids loved taking things apart. My dad used to bring things from the auction for them to disassemble on our back porch!

And finally, Cary commented that Lou Hoover's drawings looked like something I would have done. I often drew dresses among my notes at school.

As I said before there was so much to learn about Mr. Hoover. West Branch is a nice little town. We passed on the chance to eat Mexican food there though, and drove back to the Amana colonies for a hearty midwestern meal. Cary enjoyed the mashed potatoes, gravy, sauerkraut, smoked pork chop, dressing, salad and mayonnaise. Only thing missing was jello! I had tilapia.

No pictures, but we browsed a kitchen shop and I drooled over many bolts of fabric at the quilt store.