Mildred and Theodore (“Tad”) wanted to move in full time to their house at Rancho del Oso but Stanford University and Palo Alto had too many claims on them.
Theodore was still the dean of the School of Engineering and Mildred helped organized the Palo Alto Art Club, known today as the Pacific Art League. She was president of the club when the membership included the famous newspaper cartoonist James Swinnerton and artists Elizabeth Norton and Phimster Proctor.
Art club member and Stanford geologist Bailey “Earthquake” Willis had a special relationship with the Hoovers. Bailey’s son, Cornelius, wed the Hoover’s daughter, also named Mildred, at Rancho del Oso in 1922.
But the Hoovers visited Rancho del Oso at every opportunity.
As brother Herbert Hoover’s fame continued to skyrocket–ultimately as the 31st president–Theodore’s reputation as a resident of the Waddell also grew. After all he was he the president’s brother. To the locals, he was “Our Mr. Hoover.”
…to be continued…