Herbert Hoover National Historic Site - Tallgrass Prairie (U.S. National Park Service)

Long-stalked brown grasses with feathery heads against a blue sky and white cumulus clouds.

NPS PHOTO

Tall grasses like big bluestem dominate this small prairie; they once covered a virtual ocean of land in central North America.

Close-up of two flowers in green grass with bulbous centers and collars of long yellow petals.

NPS Photo

Yellow coneflowers are among the brilliant flowers that bloom during the summer in the tallgrass prairie.

Tallgrass Prairie

When Herbert Hoover's grandparents moved to this area in the middle of the 19th century, most of Iowa was covered by tallgrass prairie, dotted with brilliant wildflowers through the growing season. Many of these grasses grew to over 6 feet in height with their roots reaching downward twice as deep in the fertile soil.

"My grandparents and my parents came here in a covered wagon. In this community, they toiled and worshipped God. They lie buried on your hillside. The most formative years of my boyhood were spent here. My roots are in this soil."

Herbert Hoover

The Herbert Hoover Prairie Trails were designated National Recreational Trails in 1981.

The Tallgrass Prairie Trail Map (PDF file, 1.68 MB) helps visitors to explore the prairie and experience the area’s natural heritage. The Visitor Center has an exhibit about prairies and an interpretive garden with examples of tallgrass prairie plants (PDF file, 1.11 MB).

Tallgrass Prairie: A Multidisciplinary Curriculum for Teachers (PDF file, 24.9 MB) provides opportunities for learning and activities in science, social studies, language arts, mathematics, and reading. It encourages observations, problem solving, and high-order thinking.

The Prairie Management Plan, 2003 (PDF file, 289 KB) outlines strategies for managing the restored tallgrass prairie.

Accessibility

Prairie trails are mowed grass over rolling hills. An asphalt walkway leads to the prairie trailhead from the Presidential Library and Museum. The incline is steep and assistance will be necessary for those in wheelchairs. An audio station is at the Gravesite area parking lot. Some prairie plants grow along the sidewalk approaching the gravesite.

Take a Virtual Tour

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

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