When we can, Bob and I have tried to visit the museums and/or libraries of former US presidents. We have always found these pretty informative and helpful in learning more about the man (sadly, still only men) who have held this office as well as the larger context for their policies or actions.
Iowa has been the birthplace of one president, and today, we visited his museum. Herbert (called Bert as a child) Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa, just outside of Iowa City. He was the second of three children. Both of his parents were deceased by the time he was 10, and he ended up living with an aunt and uncle in Oregon. He then got an engineering degree from Stanford and also met Lou Henry, his future wife, there. She was originally from Waterloo, Iowa, and was the first American woman to get a degree in geology.
Herbert Hoover was a very successful mining engineer all over the world before moving into various roles in public service, including being elected the 31st President of the United States.
and brother Theodore (Tad)
he brokered the 1922 Colorado River Compact among the 7 impacted states.
Hoover won in a landslide and expectations were very high for his presidency.
where he lived alone for the last years of his life.
He outlived Lou by 20 years.
atop a small hill on the grounds of the museum
Peckish Travels 