HERBERT HOOVER The Hoover Houses and Community Structures Historic Structures Report

III. OUTBUILDINGS AND GROUNDS

A. Fences

Fronting Downey and Cedar streets was a four-board fence, with cap on the top board. Entrance was gained to the front yard through a swinging picket gate. Both fence and gate were whitewashed.

The north and east sides of the lot, north of the outbuildings, were enclosed by a wire fence, with several boards at the bottom to keep out hogs and chickens. On the east side of the lot, behind the outbuildings, was a five-board fence. [39]

B. Walks

On the east side of Downey Street was a narrow boardwalk, the planks paralleling the street.

A walk, the boards laid parallel to the street, led from the sidewalk to the front door.

A second boardwalk, connecting with the front walk, and, passing south of the house, gave access to the well and privy. [40]

C. Trees

Tad Hoover recalled, "five large red maples in front" of the house and a "wild crab apple behind, where lived a 'katydid.'" [41]

According to Rose Wilder Lane, an early Hoover biographer, there was a row of six large maple trees in front of the house, paralleling Downey Street. [42]

The Circa 1882 Photograph shows two of the maples and one sapling, west of the house.

D. Vegetable Garden

Northeast of the house was the family garden, "where the snow humped over buried potatoe-vines and lay in a drift besides the grape-arbor." [43]

E. Flower Garden

As Mrs. Hoover loved flowers and was an ardent gardner, there were flowers in the front and side yards, adjacent to the house. There would be marigolds, snap-dragons, tiger-lilies, phlox, sweet williams, columbine, petunias, balsams, verbenas, dark red tulips, and portulacas, along with a tansy bed. [44]

F. Well

The well was between the walk leading to the privy and the south fence. L. C. Rummells and Glenn Brown, who were familiar with the well in the years 1907-1923, recalled that the water was cold and popular with the neighbors. [45]

G. Outbuildings

1. Barn

The Hoover barn, a frame two-story structure, was in the south east corner of the lot. In the barn, during inclement weather, they stabled their two horses and kept the family cow. The Circa 1907 Photograph shows the barn's south elevation. [46]

2. Privy

The Hoovers' frame privy was northwest of the barn. [47]

3. Shed or Chicken House

A shed or chicken house, with shed roof, was positioned north of the Hoover privy. By 1907 the shed had been relocated, and what in 1882 had been its north elevation was now its east elevation. [48]

4. Rain Barrels

There were several huge rain barrels behind the Second Hoover House, on which the children, standing on their tip toes, sailed folded paper boats. [49]