WEST BRANCH, IOWA– Visual artist Vivian Hyelim Kim and writer Emily Melhorn will be the 2013 Artists-in-Residence at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. Vivian Hyelim Kim will be in residence this spring from April 1 to May 25; Emily Melhorn this fall from September 12 to November 2. During their residencies Ms. Kim and Ms. Melhorn will be available to interact with park visitors as they work in the park. Each may also present a public program. The Artist-in-Residence (AIR) Program at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site promotes creative means of communicating the park's national significance and its relevance to visitors.

Vivian Hyelim Kim was born in South Korea and was raised in the U.S. She received her MFA in Painting from Pratt Institute in New York and BFA from Arizona State University Herberger College of Fine Arts. She has had solo shows at Chashama Gallery in New York City and in Seoul, South Korea. She has also participated in numerous group shows and is a recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. She has been awarded residencies at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, New York Mills Residency, Paducah Artist in Residence, Vermont Studio Center and the Contemporary Artists Center. "I wish to observe the plants, flowers, and other organic elements at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site," said Ms. Kim, "and use their forms and patterns in my paper cut outs."

Emily Melhorn is a writer currently living in Los Angeles. She was a former journalist for The Gettysburg Times, The Evening Sun, and NoHo News.  Ms. Melhorn wrote a column "Living the Dream" for many years for The Gettysburg Times. She has had short stories and plays published in Red Weather, received the John V.A. Weaver Prize in Poetry, and Fiction Honorable Mention for Hayden's Ferry Review. Ms. Melhorn was Artist-in-Residence at Homestead National Monument of America in 2012. She is looking forward to writing at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and adding to the depth of work about Herbert Hoover. "I would like to put my writings about Herbert Hoover in the context of current issues and events," said Ms. Melhorn.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Parking is limited so please allow extra time to find a parking space. For more information go online at www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
110 Parkside Drive
PO Box 607
West Branch, Iowa 52358

Twitter: @HooverNPS Facebook: HerbertHooverNHS Photographs may be available upon request.
WEST BRANCH, IOWA– The National Park Service made available a draft Invasive Plant Management Plan and Environmental Assessment for public review. The plan addresses issues associated with vegetation management within the boundaries of 15 national parks in the Midwest, including Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch, Iowa. Particular attention was placed on eradication, control, and containment of invasive plants. The public is encouraged to review the plan and offer comments on the Planning, Environment and Public Comment website, http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=31771 by March 14, 2013.  Comments may also be mailed to:
Craig Young
c/o Wilson`s Creek National Battlefield
6424 West Farm Road 182
Republic, MO 65738
Three alternatives suggest differing strategies for exotic plant management. Scoping and early consultation provided a number of issues and concerns to be considered in an EA.
Craig Young, the Invasive Plant Management Team coordinator said, "Our Interdisciplinary Team, consisting of park managers and National Park Service subject matter experts, analyzed the potential for impacts on park resources and the human environment and drafted an Environmental Assessment detailing the impacts of management action."
As part of the process, the National Park Service wants to ensure that it has considered all the concerns held by members of the public.
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Parking is limited so please allow extra time to find a parking space. For more information go online at www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541.
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site will be closed on Monday, December 24 in addition to being closed on the holidays on Tuesday, December 25 and Tuesday, January 1.
WEST BRANCH, IOWA– Herbert Hoover National Historic Site seeks writers, composers, and visual and performing artists for the park's 2013 Artist-in-Residence Program. The Artist-in-Residence Program is open to all professional American artists whose work can be inspired by the history and beauty of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. The park offers two residencies of two to eight weeks each from April through September. For more information about the Artist-in-Residence Program and how to apply, contact Kristin Gibbs at (319) 643-7866 or visit the park's website: http://www.nps.gov/heho/supportyourpark/artist-in-residence-program.htm. The application period closes on Friday, February 1, 2013.

The Artist-in-Residence Program at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site promotes creative means of communicating the park's national significance and its relevance to park visitors. Artists have been part of national parks since the 1870s when famed painters played a vital role in documenting the majestic landscapes of the West. It was through their works of art that many first saw these special places in America. Today artists are working in more than 40 units of the National Park Service through Artist-in-Residence Programs. Works from past Artists-in-Residence at Herbert Hoover NHS are on display in the park's visitor center and at the West Branch Public Library. The 2012 Artist-in-Residence Program at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site featured painter Steven S. Walker of Ohio and photographer Missy Gaido Allen of Iowa City.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Parking is limited so please allow extra time to find a parking space. For more information go online at www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541.


Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
110 Parkside Drive
PO Box 607
West Branch, Iowa 52358

319 643-2541 phone
319 643-7864 fax
www.nps.gov/heho

Twitter: @HooverNPS
Facebook: HerbertHooverNHS
WEST BRANCH, IOWA– In honor of Veteran's Day, the National Park Service encourages U.S. military members and their dependents to visit Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, where they may apply for the free Annual Pass to national parks and other federal recreational lands. Available to US military members and their dependents in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, as well as most members of the US Reserves and National Guard, the pass covers entrance to lands managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation. Eligible individuals wishing to acquire a pass can do so at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site visitor center daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The pass must be obtained in person. Proper military ID is required (a CAC Card or DoD Form 1173). The Annual Pass is valid in all states and US territories; the pass expires one year from the month of issue. For more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the military pass, visit http://store.usgs.gov/pass/military.html.

For those traveling over the holiday weekend, America's 398 national parks will offer everyone free admission during the Veterans Day weekend in honor of those that serve and have served in the United States military. Admission to Herbert Hoover National Historic Site is free year-round, so on Sunday, November 11 the bookstore at the historic site's visitor center, run by nonprofit partner organization Eastern National, will honor military members and veterans with a 15 percent discount on all items.

Also on Sunday, November 11, the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum is partnering with the African American Museum of Iowa to present "Unconditional Loyalty," a program about African Americans in the armed forces. The program begins at 1:00 p.m. in the museum auditorium. Following "Unconditional Loyalty" at 2:30 p.m. will be a screening of the 20th Century Fox movie Red Tails. There will be free admission all day on Sunday, November 11 to the museum and the programs.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Parking is limited so please allow extra time to find a parking space. For more information go online at www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541.


Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
110 Parkside Drive
PO Box 607
West Branch, Iowa 52358

319 643-2541 phone
319 643-7864 fax
www.nps.gov/heho

Twitter: @HooverNPS
Facebook: HerbertHooverNHS
WEST BRANCH, IOWA– Landscape painter Steven S. Walker and photographer Missy Gaido Allen will be the Artists-in-Residence this summer at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. Mr. Walker will be in residence from July 29 through August 11, Ms. Allen from August 6 through 10. The Artist-in-Residence (AIR) Program at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site promotes creative means of communicating the park's national significance and its relevance to visitors.

Steven S. Walker will discuss and demonstrate painting techniques to park visitors on Wednesday, August 8. Meet at the visitor center at 6:00 p.m. and be prepared to go outdoors. The program precedes the 7:00 p.m. family night program at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, celebrating the museum's fiftieth anniversary and featuring the 1962 film "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance."

Born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and raised in Virginia, Steven S. Walker has been creating artwork for most of his life. A former freelance illustrator and college instructor, Mr. Walker found peace of mind and inspiration painting the back roads and rustic barns of Virginia. He has exhibited several solo shows and in various national exhibitions such as the 2012 Salon International and the Richeson 75 Landscape Show. Mr. Walker resides in Westerville, Ohio with his loving wife and biggest fan, Evelyn.

"My intent is to produce work that provides a peaceful getaway from the hectic events of everyday life," said Mr. Walker. "Sometimes the only thing that keeps a person's spirits up from day to day is seeing the sun break through the clouds after a storm. I'd like to think of my paintings as the break in the sky."

On Sunday, August 5 Missy Gaido Allen offers a free introduction to nature photography class for kids ages eight to sixteen. From 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Ms. Allen will teach kids basic photographic techniques and will lead them on a short hike through part of the prairie to the Isaac Miles Farmstead. Participants are encouraged to bring a digital camera with a viewing screen for feedback, but film cameras are acceptable. Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and sunscreen, and remember to bring water as the prairie has little shade. The class will begin at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum at 9:30 and will return from the hike to the same place.

Born in Houston, Texas in 1968, Missy Gaido Allen studied studio art and art history in the United States and Italy. She holds a Master's in Art History from Rice University and a Ph.D. in Art History from the University of Iowa. Ms. Allen's images are in the permanent collections of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and multiple private collections. She has exhibited her work widely in solo and group exhibitions and has licensed images to Sony and Hasselblad. Ms. Allen lives in Iowa with her family.

"I am interested in showing changes in the landscape over time, such as through the passing of seasons," Ms. Allen said of her photography. "Herbert Hoover National Historic Site would provide me the environment to create meaningful, intensely rich works that connect the viewer to the natural world."

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Parking is limited so please allow extra time to find a parking space. For more information go online at www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541.


Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
110 Parkside Drive
PO Box 607
West Branch, Iowa  52358

319 643-2541 phone
319 643-7864 fax
www.nps.gov/heho

Twitter: @HooverNPS
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Herbert-Hoover-National-Historic-Site/141181735922424
WEST BRANCH, IOWA–Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, in cooperation with Main Street West Branch, invites visitors to celebrate Humanitarianism and Public Service Month in Iowa with a series of special musical events each Thursday night in June. The weekly performances feature artists Joe and Vicki Price (June 7th), James Kennedy and Friends (June 14th), Maintainers (June 21st) and The Beggarmen (June 28th). The concerts are free and begin at 7:00 p.m. at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch, Iowa.

A statewide proclamation, to be signed on June 7 at the Governor's office in Des Moines, will highlight the importance of humanitarian and public service work within communities. The proclamation will emphasize the humanitarian and public service accomplishments of two of Iowa's most famous sons: President Herbert Hoover of West Branch and Dr. Norman Borlaug of Cresco. "The signed proclamation will be displayed during each of the Thursday evening events," said Pete Swisher,  Superintendent of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, the national park which commemorates the life and accomplishments of the 31st President of the United States. "We hope it will inspire a new generation of Iowans towards public service work and humanitarian deeds."

The outdoor concerts will take place at the gazebo on the Village Green at 110 Parkside Drive, the intersection of Parkside Drive and Main Street in historic downtown West Branch. The Village Green provides a classic small town setting in which to enjoy an evening of free entertainment. There is ample parking nearby, and people are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or ground blankets. In the event of inclement weather the program will be moved to the Herbert Hoover Elementary School gymnasium at 148 North Oliphant Street in West Branch.

"We are thrilled to be able to bring so many artists with Iowa roots to Herbert Hoover National Historic Site," said Swisher. "They will show those in attendance a great diversity of musical styles that connect directly to our landscape, communities, and cultures. We are very much looking forward to their performances."

June 7, Joe and Vicki Price: A winner of multiple musical awards, Joe and Vicki's music is flavored more to the juke joint end of the blues: a bit rough and tons of fun. Joe Price was inducted into the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame in 2002, The Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, and was a finalist in the International Blues Challenge 2006. Joe has appeared on National Public Radio on the Michael Feldman show "What Do You Know" and the "Big Top Chautauqua" show, where he opened for Grammy nominated folk
singer Greg Brown.

June 14, James Kennedy and Friends: James Kennedy has been a force in "indie" music for many years, performing blues, jazz, world, and more. During that time, he and his groups have toured regionally, nationally, and internationally playing venues of all sizes. Their instrumental melodic style is strong and appeals to audiences across all age groups. The variety of styles includes jazz, blues, folk, ragtime, and contemporary - something for everyone's taste in music.

June 21, Maintainers: Playing its own brand of roots-rock-country-folk music and building a loyal following through its live shows, Maintainers entertain their audiences through the performance of both original compositions as well as known numbers.  This is all done through excellent instrumentation backed up with gritty vocal performances.

June 28, The Beggarmen: The Beggarmen are celebrating their eleventh year as one of the region's best Irish music ensembles. Since their first performance at a small pub in Iowa, the band has gone on to headline at folk festivals and concert halls throughout the Midwest, greeting audiences with their unique style of Irish folk music.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Parking is limited so please allow extra time to find a parking space. For more information go online at www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
110 Parkside Drive
PO Box 607
West Branch, Iowa  52358

319 643-2541 phone
319 643-7864 fax
www.nps.gov/heho

WEST BRANCH, IOWA– Homeowners or anyone interested in learning about pruning trees and shrubs can join arborist Ed Rinderspacher and the staff of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site for an Arbor Day presentation on Friday, April 27. Arbor Day is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees.

The program is free and begins at 2:00 p.m. at the visitor center. It will last about one hour and may involve about a half-mile of walking to different plantings around the park. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. In the case of inclement weather, please call (319) 643-2541 before attending. 

Ed Rinderspacher is the owner and operator of Rindy Tree and Turf Care, Inc. and a West Branch, Iowa  arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). Mr. Rinderspacher will provide a one-hour, hands-on tree pruning demonstration of cuts and techniques for small, young, newly planted trees.   "There are about a thousand trees in this 187-acre national park," said Pete Swisher, superintendent of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. "We hope our visitors can see examples of the careful work we do to maintain the landscape commemorating Herbert Hoover's life."

April 21 through 29 is National Park Week, the annual week for celebration and recognition of your National Parks. Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Parking is limited so please allow extra time to find a parking space. For more information go online at www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541.


Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
110 Parkside Drive
PO Box 607
West Branch, Iowa   52358

319 643-2541 phone
319 643-7864 fax
www.nps.gov/heho

WEST BRANCH, IOWA– The visitor center at Herbert Hoover National Historic
Site will get new restroom facilities and new windows this spring. The
renovation of the men's and women's restrooms will help the park meet
federal accessibility standards, and will use more environmentally-friendly
materials and fixtures like touchless faucets, low flush toilets, and
energy efficient lighting. The National Park Service will also replace the
present windows with double-pane windows to improve the building's energy
efficiency.


Work will begin in April and may take up to 4 months. There may be periodic
closures of the visitor center during the construction. Closures will be
posted on the park website, www.nps.gov/heho . The park will provide
temporary restrooms during construction. Restrooms are also available
nearby at the park picnic shelters or at the Herbert Hoover Presidential
Library and Museum from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.


"We're looking forward to our visitors benefiting from several improvements
to the visitor center this year," said park superintendent Pete Swisher.
"We also plan to install a new permanent exhibit later this year about
Herbert Hoover's childhood in West Branch and his involvement with
developing this park."


Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential
Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are
open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. For more information go
online to www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541.



Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
110 Parkside Drive
PO Box 607
West Branch, Iowa  52358


319 643-2541 phone
319 643-7864 fax
www.nps.gov/heho
WEST BRANCH, IOWA– The National Park Service will burn part of the 81-acre tallgrass prairie at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site during the week April 9 through April 13. Weather and safety considerations will determine the exact date and time of the fire. A specially trained National Park Service fire crew burned other parts of the prairie last May. Prescribed fires are an effective method of maintaining the grassland at Herbert Hoover NHS.

"With periodic burning, visitors may see over time healthier prairie grasses and a greater diversity of native wildflowers," said park superintendent Pete Swisher.

The National Park Service follows a scientific prescription for prairie burning. The agency uses a "burn plan" which describes the objectives of the fire, the fuel available in the prairie, the size and location of the prescribed burn, and the precise conditions for the fire. Safety considerations and smoke control play important roles in the burn plan. Although the prescribed fire crew will employ methods that minimize the amount of smoke produced, anyone suffering from asthma, emphysema, or lung disease, and living within one mile of the National Historic Site should contact the park at (319) 643-2541. If they leave their name, address, and telephone number, park staff will notify them in advance of the fire.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Parking is limited so please allow extra time to find a parking space. For more information go online at www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541.


Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
110 Parkside Drive
PO Box 607
West Branch, Iowa  52358

319 643-2541 phone
319 643-7864 fax
www.nps.gov/heho

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