US President Hoover's time in Western Australia

Pres. Herbert Hoover

I found out yesterday that United States president Herbert Hoover used to live in Western Australia. In 1897, at the age 23, after graduating from Stanford University with a degree in geology, he took a job as a mining engineer for Bewick, Moreing and Company of London. He was sent to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to develop the company's gold mines there.

Here is a excellent article of Hoover's time in Western Australia from the Stanford University's Alumni Magazine. Hoover was well respected and admired here. He proved to be very successfully and made himself rich. You can now stay in the house that Hoover had built in Leonora because it is now restored as a B&B.

Hoover did do one thing that changed Australia forever. Hoover was unimpressed with the local Australian workers. They were causing labor troubles. So he decided to only hire Europeans, Italians in particular, to work the mines. That is how the first wave of Italian immigrants ended up in Perth, to be followed by a larger wave after WWII.

The Italian and Greek mark on Australia and Perth is significant. They brought with them their customs, and best of all, their cusine. Every Italian-Aussie that I've met is very proud of their contribution to Australia. They feel they brought a little class and culture here.

So in the words of Johnny Carson, "I did not know that."