I’ve been working at the Herbert Hoover Library for more than twenty years. I’ve given hundreds of museum tours to groups. A featured aspect of our exhibits are Belgian flour sacks given to the Hoovers as gifts of thanks for leading food relief during World War I. We have 366 such sacks, with four or … Continue reading What You Learn After You Know it all is What Matters
Lynn Smith On January 7, 1944 former first Lady Lou Henry Hoover died. For several decades of her life she was active with the Girl Scouts of America, serving in many leadership positions ranging from Troop Leader to National President. To pay tribute to this dynamic lady, the Girl Scouts created Lou Henry Hoover Memorial … Continue reading Memorial Forest and Wildlife Sanctuaries
Lynn Smith Sitting on a hillside in Burlingame, California is Hoover Elementary School. Originally founded in 1932, the neighborhood school closed its doors in 1979 due to declining enrollment. The school district sold the building to Buddhist monks. In 2010, the school district purchased the building back and after extensive renovations and the construction of … Continue reading Lou Henry Hoover Amphitheater
By Thomas F. Schwartz Individuals in the news often are asked about their views on a wide range of topics. Lou Henry Hoover was no exception. As someone who was already well-known for her translation of De Re Metallica, fund raising efforts for food relief, leadership in the Girl Scouts, and involvement with many other … Continue reading Lou Henry Hoover Responds to Questionnaire on Engineering for Women
Seeing the February 4th friendship postings on our Facebook page last week, I was reminded of a durable friendship forged between the Hoovers and the Milbanks. The connections between Jeremiah/Katherine [Kitty] Milbank and Herbert/Lou Hoover are extensive--both broad and deep. The families often socialized together. They dined, shared holidays [especially Christmas after Lou passed away], … Continue reading Hoovers and Milbanks: An Enduring Friendship
by Matthew Schaefer In the course of writing serial posts on Herbert Hoover’s activities during World War I, it occurred to this Hoover archivist that he was giving short shrift to other actors with agency in the drama. To correct this oversight, today’s blog will respond to Abigail Adams’ challenge to not forget the ladies. … Continue reading War Conditions in Belgium and England
By Thomas F. Schwartz Born in Iowa, both Lou Henry and Herbert Hoover considered themselves Californians for most of their lives. Not only was their home designed by Lou built in Palo Alto near the campus of Stanford University, Herbert Hoover also operated several farms throughout the state. Initially, Hoover was in partnership with several … Continue reading The “Lady from California”: Hoover Hoover’s Work at Children’s Hospital
By Thomas F. Schwartz, Director A genre of writing concerns the memoirs of domestic White House staff. Personal secretaries, head butlers, maids, and secret service who live round the clock with the President, First Lady, and First Family see and hear things that are typically not reported at the time but become known through “tell … Continue reading White House Staff Remember Lou
By Thomas F. Schwartz One of the lesser known aspects of the Commission for Relief in Belgium (CRB) dealt with support of the Belgian lace makers. In 1915, a committee of Belgian women requested assistance for the importation of linen thread and needles as well as cash advances to keep the cottage industry of lace … Continue reading Lou Hoover and Belgian Lace
By Thomas F. Schwartz Lou Hoover was a prodigious letter writer. Her correspondence provides great insight into both the life of her husband as well as her own activities. Lou presents a graphic description of their efforts to assist stranded Americans in London at the beginning of World War I in a letter written to … Continue reading And the War Came: Lou Hoover and the Great War
