Herbert Hoover's Biography

Herbert Hoover was the 31st President of the United States, serving from 1929-1933, when he was soundly defeated by Franklin D. Roosevelt. He is best known for overseeing the early years of the Great Depression, and his failure to alleviate its effects led to widespread support of Democratic policies for years to come.

Hoover has never been regarded as one of the best Presidents, considering the fact that his legacy was largely overshadowed by that of his successor. The Depression hit just eight months after he had taken office, and while some of his large-scale infrastructure projects like the Hoover Dam are still around today, much of his administration was spent fruitlessly attempting to relieve the country’s economic hardship.

Another contributing factor to Hoover’s unpopularity was his support of Prohibition, which by the late 1920s wasn’t exactly a winning platform. Prior to its implementation in 1920, he reportedly had an impressive wine collection—but as soon as alcohol was outlawed, his wife, Lou Henry Hoover, dumped it down the drain.

At the age of 80, though, while suffering from pneumonia, Herbert Hoover made a strange request for a champion of Prohibition: he asked for a Dry Martini. It just goes to show that when it comes down to it, sometimes all you can do is have a stiff drink and hope for the best.