West Branch in Cedar County, Iowa — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Learning their A, B, Cs

— Herbert Hoover National Historic Site —

Photographed by Connor Olson, July 26, 2020

1. Learning their A, B, Cs Marker

Inscription. Quakers, including the Hoovers, believe strongly in educating both boys and girls equally, and by 1853 West Branch's population was large enough to build this one-room schoolhouse. Because the Quakers had raised much of the funds, they also used it as their first meetinghouse. Herbert Hoover started school in 1879 at age five, but it is not known if he attended classes in this building even though his father and brother had. Orphaned at age nine, Herbert moved two years later to an uncle's home in Oregon, where he studied at a Quaker Academy before joining Stanford University's first class in 1891.

Iowa...was filled with days of school-and who does not remember with a glow some gentle woman, who with infinite patience and kindness drilled into us those foundations of all we know today.
Herbert Hoover

Photo captions: A West Branch schoolroom in late 1800s
Hoover (left front) served on a geological surveying squad at Stanford in 1893. After graduating he became a successful mining engineer.
The schoolhouse originally stood two blocks away at Downey and Main streets. The National Park Service moved the schoolhouse here in 1968 for restoration.

Erected by National

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Park Service, US Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1853.

Location. 41° 40.233′ N, 91° 20.844′ W. Marker is in West Branch, Iowa, in Cedar County. It is at the intersection of Penn Street and Poplar Street, on the right when traveling west on Penn Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: West Branch IA 52358, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Iowa. It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Forging Character (a few steps from this marker); The Mackey House (within shouting distance of this marker); A Growing Town (within shouting distance of this marker); Herbert Hoover (within shouting distance

West Branch Schoolhouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Connor Olson, July 26, 2020

2. West Branch Schoolhouse

of this marker); a different marker also named C.E. Smith House (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Herbert Hoover (within shouting distance of this marker); Birthplace Cottage (within shouting distance of this marker); Garvin House (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in West Branch.

Other markers no longer nearby. Schoolhouse (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Visit Downtown West Branch (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); The C.E. Smith House (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Herbert Hoover's Birthplace (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

More about this marker. Replaced a nearby older marker for the schoolhouse.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 15, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 14, 2020, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 287 times since then and 76 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 14, 2020, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.