Cleaning the house today, I found the visitor's map to Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. I made sure to stop there on my way back from Nebraska this past August. I'm kind of into National Parks/Historic Sites and I love visiting small Midwestern Towns, so I stopped in for a few hours. I was not disappointed.

The night before I stopped, I was researching it in my hotel room. I had limited time and wanted to make the most of it. A gorgeous bronze sculpture of the goddess Isis popped up on my screen and I was like, "What ......Is......This?" I knew there had to be a good story behind a powerful, sensuous sculpture of a goddess, prominent nipples below a gossamer veil, installed at a Presidential historic site.

Isis, bronze, by Belgain sculptor, August Puttmans

I arrived and asked the woman at the desk "Where can I find the Isis sculpture and can you tell me a bit about it?"

She relayed to me that "during WW1, the people of Belguim were starving. Herbert Hoover was the Director General of American Relief Administration - prior to being president. Hoover sent ships of food and relief to the people of Belguim. The children saved their pennies after the war and had this sculpture made and given to him as a gift." Tears welled up in my eyes.

Side view, Isis, at Herbert Hoover Nat'l Hist. Site, West Branch, Iowa

It was worth the trip and I wish I would have had more time. There are many nice historical outbuildings, including the Quaker Meeting House and the cabin where Hoover was born and spent part of his childhood.