• Pink flowers blossom in the garden of a white two-room cottage.

    Herbert Hoover

    National Historic Site Iowa

Varney House

Snow covers the roof and lawn of a two-story cream colored house with brown trim.

The Varney House now stands on the corner near Herbert Hoover's birthplace.

NPS Photo

Hannah Varney built this house in 1899 shortly after divorcing her husband. The West Branch Times described the house as being of "fine appearance and finished in modern style." After living in the house with her six children for less than one year, Hannah Varney moved to Iowa City and married Robert Ward. She left the house to her daughters, Cora and Clara, who lived in it until 1915. In 1967 the National Park Service moved the Hannah Varney House from its original location on the lot just south of where it now stands on Downey Street.

 

Take a Virtual Tour

This is a stop on the virtual tour of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site.

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Did You Know?

Black and white photo of the mustached Charles Curtis.

Herbert Hoover's vice president Charles Curtis was of almost half American Indian ancestry. Curtis’ mother was one quarter Kaw, one quarter Pottawatomie and one quarter Osage. More...