When Herbert Hoover's grandparents moved to this area in the middle of the 19th century, most of Iowa was covered by tallgrass prairie, dotted with brilliant wildflowers through the growing season. Many of these grasses grew to over 6 feet in height with their roots reaching downward twice as deep in the fertile soil. In honor of Herbert Hoover's love of nature, and in an attempt to share an exquisite natural resource with the public, the National Park Service restored 81 acres of tallgrass prairie.
