Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
National Historic Site · IA
Orphaned at age nine, Herbert Hoover left West Branch never to live here again. In later years, he returned to his humble birthplace to celebrate his long career of public service. A memorial landscape remains to tell his story: how community, hard work, honesty, and usefulness to others opened a world of opportunity— and the presidency of the United States— to a child of simple beginnings.
- NPS site
- nps.gov/heho
- Location
- Herbert Hoover National Historic Site (41.668, -91.352)
Track your visit to Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
NP Tracker keeps a record of every National Park Service unit you visit — all 430-plus of them. Log visits with dates and photos, collect passport stamps, plan trips, and watch your map fill in. It's free.
Passport stamp locations
- Visitor Center
Hours
Operating Hourstoday: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
- Sat Oct 39:00AM - 5:00PM
- Sun Oct 49:00AM - 5:00PM
- Mon Oct 59:00AM - 5:00PM
- Tue Oct 69:00AM - 5:00PM
- Wed Oct 79:00AM - 5:00PM
- Thu Oct 89:00AM - 5:00PM
- Fri Oct 99:00AM - 5:00PM
Upcoming closures: Nov 26 (Thanksgiving Day)
From April 1 - October 31, historic buildings and the visitor center are open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. From November 1 - March 31, historic buildings are open 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the visitor center is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The grounds of the historic site are open 24 hours. Overnight parking is not allowed in the park.
Hours are retrieved from the National Park Service and can change without notice — check the official site before you go.
Visitor centers
1
- Visitor Centertoday: 9:00AM - 5:00PMDirections
Self-guided tours
4
Explore the Memorial Landscape60–120 minutes · 20 stops
Take a full tour of the historic site and learn about the community that made Herbert Hoover the man we know today.
Historic Downtown West Branch30–60 minutes · 21 stops
The West Branch Commercial Historic District illustrates the prosperous decades (1870-1916) when West Branch grew from a country town of wooden storefronts into a bustling center of rural commerce and decorative brick business blocks.
Quick, Basic, & After Hours30–60 minutes · 9 stops
A short walking tour acquaints you with the historic site's main features. This is good tour to take if you arrive after the visitor center, museum, and historic buildings close.
What About Those Other Houses?60–90 minutes · 13 stops
What are those other houses at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site? Several were part of President Hoover's early childhood neighborhood. Others were built after he moved away from West Branch. Their architectural styles recall the late late 1800s and round out the neighborhood setting of the President's upbringing.
Entrance fees
No entrance fee.