National Historic Site
Events being held at the National Historic Site are listed below.
Self-guided Tour
Daily
Start at the Visitor Center to get your map and plan your day. See a 12-minute film and exhibits on Herbert Hoover's childhood. Take a self-guided walk or join a ranger for a guided tour of four historic buildings: the Birthplace Cottage, the Blacksmith Shop, the Schoolhouse, and the Friends Meetinghouse.
Make sure to spend at least an hour and a half at the Presidential Library and Museum to learn more about Herbert Hoover's distinguished life and career. The Library and Museum also offers changing exhibits on other historical topics.
Visit the gravesite of Herbert and Lou Henry Hoover, and then take a walk through the restored 81-acre tallgrass prairie.
Adventures and Great Undertakings
Daily
Herbert Hoover's boyhood in West Branch influenced his later accomplishments as a mining engineer, businessman, humanitarian, and statesman. The 12-minute film "Adventures and Great Undertakings: Herbert Hoover`s Childhood in West Branch" introduces visitors to the impact of family and community on young Herbert Hoover.
The film is shown at the Visitor Center upon request starting at 9:00 a.m.
Be a Junior Ranger
Daily
The Junior Ranger program allows kids to learn more about Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. Anyone between the ages of five and fourteen years old can become a Junior Ranger by completing activities in the Junior Ranger activity booklet.
Get your Junior Ranger activity booklet from the Visitor Center. When the booklet is complete, return to the Visitor Center to receive your official Herbert Hoover National Historic Site Junior Ranger badge and certificate.
Blacksmith Demonstrations
April through October
Born the son of a blacksmith and into a family of modest means, Herbert Hoover believed he had a life of unlimited potential in the United States. Visit the Blacksmith Shop as young Herbert may have visited his father and see professional blacksmith Chuck Ping demonstrate the art and craft of blacksmithing. Handmade blacksmith items are for sale at the Blacksmith Shop and at the Visitor Center.
Dates and times will vary and may be changed. Please call ahead before you visit.
National Park Week Prairie Restoration
April 17, 2010
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site will kick off National Park Week with a spring restoration project in the 81-acre tallgrass prairie. Volunteers are needed on April 17 to help remove trees and shrubs from the grassland or to plant native prairie seeds. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable work clothes. Water, sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats are recommended. Meet at the Visitor Center at 8:30 a.m. for an orientation and to get signed up. Work in the prairie will be from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Call (319) 643-7855 by April 16 for more information and to sign up.
National Junior Ranger Day
April 24, 2010
On Saturday, April 24, kids of all ages can celebrate National Park Week by bringing their families to Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. Explore the park with your family or take a tour with a park ranger to complete your Junior Ranger booklet. Pick up the free activity booklets at the Visitor Center. Volunteers and park rangers will help you learn about the park.
Kids who have completed Junior Ranger programs at other National Parks are invited to show off their collections of badges and patches.
Memorial Day - May 31, 2010
Historical Costumed Interpreters will be "Edutaining" Visitors 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Independence Day - July 4, 2010
Historical Costumed Interpreters will be "Edutaining" Visitors 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Hooverfest - August 7, 2010
President Hoover's Birthday celebration honoring Fire Fighters and EMT's.
US Honor Flag Ceremony / 23rd National Hoover-Ball National Championships / Crafters / Artists / Food Vendors / Dale Thomas Band
Historical Costumed Interpreters will be "Edutaining" Visitors 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Labor Day / Prairie Heritage Day - September 6, 2010
- Historical Costumed Interpreters will be "Edutaining" Visitors 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
- Celebrate Prairie Heritage Day on Monday, Labor Day, September 6, 2010, at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. Guided walks of the 81-acre tallgrass prairie start at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and museum. Park Rangers will introduce families to the plants and animals of Iowa's tallgrass prairies and discuss how the National Park Service is restoring this endangered habitat. The walk is one half-mile and lasts about one hour. Bring water, dress for the weather, and wear comfortable walking shoes. Hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, and insect repellent are also recommended.
National Public Lands Day Prairie Restoration
September 25, 2010
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site needs volunteers to help restore native tallgrass prairie by removing woody shrubs and planting native prairie plant seeds. The prairie restoration project is part of a nationwide volunteer effort to celebrate and improve public lands, and is a great way to get hands-on experience with your local natural resources. Volunteers will receive a coupon for free admission to a National Park Service area at a later date. Call (319) 643-7855 for more information and to sign up.
A Christmas Past
December 3-5, 2010
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, and West Branch, Iowa, the birthplace of Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United States, will host "A Christmas Past" events from Friday, December 3 until Sunday, December 5, 2010.