1895 Herbert Hoover graduated from Stanford University.

1917 President Wilson appointed Hoover as head of the U.S. Food Administration to provide aid in WWI

1921 President Harding appoints Hoover Secretary of Commerce.

1928 Hoover is elected President.

1929 The stock market crashes and the Great Depression begins.

1932 Roosevelt defeats Hoover in the presidential election.

1964 Herbert Hoover died.

Herbert Clark Hoover
1929 - 1933
31st President

Herbert Clark Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa on August 10, 1874. He was the first President born in Iowa and the first President to be born west of the Mississippi. River.

Herbert was orphaned as a child.

Herbert Hoover was a Quaker.

After World War I he was an administrator for food and humanitarian aid in Europe.

In 1922, Hoover, then Commerce Secretary, participated in the first successful long-distance television demonstration in New York.

Herbert Hoover never promised a "chicken in every pot." It was a Republican Party ad not endorsed by Hoover during the election.

Since President Hoover was a Quaker he did not take an oath of office. He affirmed his presidency.

Herbert Hoover was the first president to have a telephone right on his desk.

Herbert Hoover required White House servants to be "invisible." Whenever he or the first lady appeared, the servants would jump into the nearest closet to avoid being seen.

President Herbert Hoover, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison,
and Harvey Firestone at Edison's 82nd birthday.
Ft. Myers, Florida, February 11, 1929.
Herbert Hoover Library.

President Hoover was one of two Presidents who did not accept a salary for being President. He donated his salary to charity.

He was the first President that was a millionaire.

Hoover Hover's Vice President was Charles Curtis (1929-1933).

He approved the "Star-Spangled Banner" as our national anthem.

When Hoover invited the black wife of a congressman to the White House for tea, he was officially denounced by the state legislature of Texas.

Charles Curtis, Hoover's vice president, was the only nonwhite person to be elected vice president of the U.S. He was a Kaw Indian.
When the Hoovers wanted to speak privately while in the presence of White House guests, they spoke Chinese.

His son had 2 pet alligators that would sometimes wander around the White House. He also had several dogs:

• an Irish Wolfhound named Patrick.
• Fox Terriers named Sonnie and Big Ben.
• Eskimo dog named Yukon
• Elkhound named Weejie

A common sign held up by hitchhikers during the fall of 1932 read: "If you don't give me a ride, I'll vote for Hoover."

Herbert Hoover was the last President to have his term of office end on March 3.

Herbert Hoover died in New York, New York on October 20, 1964. He was 90 years old.

Quotes from Herbert Hoover:

It is just as important that business keep out of government at that government keep out of business.
Speech, October 22, 1928

Quick Facts

31st President
1929-1933

Born: West Branch, Iowa, Aug. 10, 1874

Party: Republican

Died: New York, NY, Oct. 20 1964

References:

• The Presidents of the United States. 22 September 2004
• Davis, Gibbs and Ilus. David A. Johnson. Wackiest White House Pets. New York: Scholastic Press, October 2004
• James, Barber and Amy Pastan. Smithsonian Presidents and First Ladies. New York: DK Publishing, 2002
• Harnsberger, Caroline Thomas. Treasury of Presidential Quotations. Chicago: Follett Publishing Company, 1964
• Kane, Joseph Natan. Facts about the Presidents from Washington to Johnson. New York: H.W. Wilson Company, 1964.
• National Park Service Web Site on Presidential Trivia: http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/pres/trivia.htm.

Additional Sources:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents
http://www.historyplace.com/specials/portraits/presidents/index.html
www.freep.com
http://www.umkc.edu/imc/prestriv.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Rhodes/4062/trivia.html
http://www.freep.com/news/inaug/trivia/index.htm
http://www.ipl.org/div/potus/

If you have comments or corrections, please send them to jim@anewadventure.org.