Birthplace Cottage Back Porch & Yard

Back Porch & Yard

Quick Facts

Amenities

1 listed

Wheelchair Accessible

The partially enclosed and covered porch at the rear of the cottage may have served several purposes over time, including a woodshed, storeroom, summer kitchen, and spare bedroom.

Summer Kitchen

In warm weather the Hoovers moved their wood-burning stove to the back porch. This became the summer kitchen. The porch and summer kitchen may have served several other purposes over time, a woodshed, store room, and spare bedroom. It was here, in the dark of night on August 10, 1874, that blacksmith shop assistant, Elwood King was awakened to go and fetch the doctor. Around midnight, Herbert Clark Hoover was born.

Vegetable Garden & Flower Beds

Hulda grew her vegetable garden behind the cottage, while flower gardens of marigolds, peonies, and snapdragons filled the front and side yards. And just like today, seeds, cuttings and bulbs, were traded with family and friends. The dark red double-petaled tulips that once grew here came from the bulbs Hulda's mother had brought with her from Canada.

Water

Near the southwest corner of the back porch was a wooden pump, and dangling from it a gourd dipper. Beneath the pump spout was a wooden tub. For soft water, they dipped from a rain barrel, positioned to catch the run-off from the roof. For watering the garden and washing, they filled a wooden tub with water pumped from a cistern in their backyard. Nearby was the drain into which Hulda Hoover poured her dishwater. For drinking water, the Hoovers went one block north to the town pump in the middle of the intersection of Downey and Main Streets.

Privy

The Hoovers placed their privy, probably a two-holer, in the corner of the lot away from the cistern but convenient to both the house and the blacksmith shop.

Cellar

A cellar under the cottage stored vegetables and other foods below the winter's frost. According to Lou Hoover's research, "In such a tiny house the cellar door was a necessity outside, demanding the throwing of shawl over head and shoulders, as one ran to it from the back door of the kitchen on a freezing day."

Chicken House

The Hoovers kept a chicken house for fresh eggs near the rear of the lot.