6 September 2013 Herbert Hoover Museum and Library, Arriving at the Amana Colonies

We continued on our way west on a hot (95 degrees) I-80 from Utica, Illinois, to Amana, Iowa, today. Because our drive was only 170 miles, it was convenient to stop in West Branch, Iowa, to visit the Herbert Hoover Presidential Museum and Library.

Herbert Hoover Museum and Library

Herbert Hoover, a well known and respected mining engineer, humanitarian, and statesman was our 31st President. He was born in 1874 in a simple two-room cottage in West Branch that was preserved and is part of the memorial. He was born into a Quaker family who lived by the principals of honesty, hard work, simplicity, and generosity. Both of his parents died when he was 10 and he was sent to Newberg, Oregon, to live with his uncle and family.

He graduated from Stanford as a geologist and worked in the California and Australia gold fields. His humanitarian achievements included being Chairman of the Boys Club of America, establishing CARE and UNICEF, and overseeing feeding of 350 million people in 21 countries. He served in various posts for Presidents Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Truman, and Eisenhower and was elected President in 1929. He died in 1964.

The stock market crash of 1929 forced President Hoover to abandon his ideas of individualism and turn to providing Federal aid to those who lost their jobs and savings. He introduced banking reform legislation, created the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, developed an agricultural credit system, and convened an economic conference to promote trade and stabilize currency. These efforts were not enough in the eyes of the voters, and he lost the presidential election to Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. He left the office in disgrace, being blamed for the Great Depression. Subsequent studies have concluded that Hoover did not cause the depression and that he probably could not have done anything to prevent it. 

The museum describes Hoover's early life, engineering achievements, humanitarian accomplishments, and his presidency. It was a fine tribute and very informative.

 Herbert Hoover's birthplace

The school he attended

We arrived at the Amana Colonies Campground about 3:30, set up the rigs, and Patrice and I went to the Ox Bow Inn for dinner, a favorite of ours. I had Amana ham (family style) and Patrice had a meal of bratwurst and knockwurst. After dinner we drove around Amana and East Amana and set plans for tomorrow and Sunday.