An Explosive Story: Hoover and the Sinai Peninsula Turquoise Mine

By Thomas F. Schwartz W. J. Loring and Herbert Hoover, mining in Australia, Hoover on the left. ca. 1903 November As part of an ongoing exploration of Herbert and Lou Hoover’s connection with the Rosetta Stone exhibit, this blog post examines Herbert Hoover’s brief efforts to revive a turquoise mine in the Sinai Peninsula.  The … Continue reading An Explosive Story: Hoover and the Sinai Peninsula Turquoise Mine

Herbert and Lou Hoover’s Connection to the Rosetta Stone

By Thomas F. Schwartz Beginning on Saturday, April 13, 2019 and running through October 27, 2019 will be a unique temporary exhibit at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum entitled Written In Stone: The Rosetta Stone Exhibit.  The exhibit will feature an exact replica made from a cast of the original Rosetta Stone at … Continue reading Herbert and Lou Hoover’s Connection to the Rosetta Stone

Lou Hoover, Grace Coolidge and the Girl Scouts Little House

Lou Hoover outside the Girl Scout Little House in Washington, DC, ca. 1925. In a recent blog, I summarized Lou Hoover’s long involvement with the Girl Scouts.  In doing so, I gave scant attention to some significant firsts.  Among these was the creation of the first Little House for Girl Scouts.  A photograph with this … Continue reading Lou Hoover, Grace Coolidge and the Girl Scouts Little House

Waterloo Movie Makers, or, The Gift that Would Not Stop Giving

by Spencer Howard In August, 1928, Lou Henry Hoover visited her hometown of Waterloo as part of a trip through Iowa to kick off Herbert Hoover's Presidential campaign.  While Lou expected to be the center of attention, she did not anticipate the persistence of a local photographer who saw a business opportunity. As the appointed … Continue reading Waterloo Movie Makers, or, The Gift that Would Not Stop Giving

Hoover and 20th Century Presidents: Warren Harding

Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover with President Warren Harding on the 1923 Alaskan trip. Herbert Hoover was head of the United States Food Administration when he first met Warren Harding.  As Hoover tells the tale, Senator Harding came into his office late one evening and said: “I am here to serve and to help.’  This … Continue reading Hoover and 20th Century Presidents: Warren Harding

Lou Henry Hoover and Girl Scouts

3/25/24 First Lady Grace Coolidge, honorary president of the Girl Scouts with Lou Henry Hoover, President of the Girl Scouts, at a re-dedication ceremony of the"Girl Scout Little House" in Washington DC. Lou Henry Hoover’s involvement with the Girl Scouts spanned decades.  Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts, recruited Lou Hoover in 1917 … Continue reading Lou Henry Hoover and Girl Scouts

Hoover and Paderewski

By Thomas F. Schwartz, PhD Herbert Hoover during his years at Stanford. A story often cited claims that when Hoover was a student at Stanford, he invited the famed Polish pianist, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, to perform at Stanford for a promised fee of $2,000.  Much to Hoover’s chagrin, the ticket sales fell short of the … Continue reading Hoover and Paderewski

Presidents and Engineers

Herbert Hoover mining in possibly Australia or South Africa, ca. 1900. America celebrates National Engineering Week each February in the week containing February 22nd, George Washington’s birthday.  Washington, who used engineering skills while surveying land on the frontier, is an apt President on which to hang this celebration of engineering.  Other Presidents who’d merit consideration … Continue reading Presidents and Engineers

Valentine’s Day Cards – The Rest of the Story

A valentine from the Hoover collections. Last year, I wrote on the Valentine’s Day Cards received by President Hoover (https://hoover.blogs.archives.gov/2018/02/14/valentines-day-cards/).  I was surprised not only by the variety of cards in circulation in the early 1930s, but also by the large number of card manufacturers.  Growing up when and where I did, I assumed that … Continue reading Valentine’s Day Cards – The Rest of the Story