August 10
Herbert Hoover Born in West Branch
Summary
Herbert Clark Hoover was born on August 10, 1874, in West Branch, Iowa. Orphaned as a child, he eventually moved west and became a member of Stanford University's first entering class. Hoover built an international career as a mining engineer and business executive before gaining recognition for organizing large-scale humanitarian relief during and after World War I. He served as U.S. secretary of commerce under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge and was elected the thirty-first president in 1928. Only months after he took office, the stock market crashed and the United States entered the Great Depression. Hoover supported public works, agricultural assistance, banking measures, and eventually the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, but resisted more extensive direct federal relief. Rising unemployment and economic distress severely damaged his administration, and Franklin D. Roosevelt defeated him in 1932. Hoover later remained active in humanitarian and government-reorganization work.
Why It Matters
Hoover's career combined international humanitarian relief, engineering, economic administration, and the presidency. His response to the Great Depression became a defining reference point in debates over the responsibilities of the federal government during economic crises. His earlier relief efforts and later work on government organization demonstrate a broader public career that extended well beyond his controversial presidential term.
Related Sites
- Assassination Attempts: A related profile examining threats or plots associated with Herbert Hoover.
- America 250 Atlas: A presidential profile placing Herbert Hoover within United States history.
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Sources
- Years of Adventure 1874-1914, Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. Accessed 2026-08-25.
- Herbert Hoover, National Park Service. Accessed 2026-08-25.