Complete Guide to President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site in Arkansas, including things to do, history, nearby lodging and camping, directions, and so much more.
President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site
The house can only be visited on a guided tour. We were sadly too late to take a guided tour but were able to walk around the outside of the house and visit the visitor center.
It was a rainy dreary day during our visit so the pictures are a bit grey and dismal. Please don't judge the house based on how dark and dismal of a day we visited.
About President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home NHS
President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site preserves the 1st home of our 42nd US President. President Clinton lived in this home from birth until he was four years old with him Mom and maternal grandparents.
Is President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home NHS worth visiting?
If you're looking to delve deeper into American history and politics, a visit to the President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site is a must.
The site provides an authentic look into the life and career of the 42nd President of the United States, with a restored birthplace home and informative exhibits showcasing his journey from a young boy in Arkansas to the White House.
Beyond its historical significance, the charming town of Hope and nearby White Oak Lake State Park offer additional opportunities to explore and unwind.
We really enjoyed our visit to the park. We would happily return to be able to take the house tour and learn more about the site.
History of President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home NHS
President Clinton Birthplace Home is located on Hervey Street in Hope, Arkansas.
The home is the location that 42nd President of the United States Bill Clinton spent the first four years of his life.
William Jefferson Blythe III was born on August 19, 1946.
Born in Hope, Arkansas to Virginia Blythe, his father, William Blythe, Jr. had died three months before Clinton was born in a car accident.
Soon after Clinton was born, his widowed mother left for New Orleans to study nursing.
While his mother was in school, Bill lived with his maternal grandparents, Eldridge and Edith Cassidy, until he was four years old.
The home that is located on 117 S. Hervey St. in Hope was owned by his grandparents.
Not having the chance to ever meet his father, Clinton felt lucky to have spent the first four years of his life with two loving grandparents and an inspirational male figure.
By the time Clinton was born, the Cassidy family roots in America dated back five generations, all the way back to Levi Cassidy who emigrated from Ireland.
Mr. Eldridge Cassidy married Edith Grisham in 1922 and moved from Bodcaw, Arkansas to Hope.
Mr. Cassidy worked for a wood factory until he opened his own ice delivery business during the Depression.
Clinton’s mother Virginia wrote that her father Eldridge was a social man who never met a stranger in his life, was loved by the community, and extremely hard working.
She was especially appreciative of him after her husband died. The same year Clinton was born, his grandparents bought the house on Hervey Street. The home was built in 1917 by Dr. H.S. Garrett.
It was the foundation for Clinton’s life going forward and the relationships he built with his grandparents admittedly helped shape the man he became.
1940s Arkansas was very racially segregated. Clinton’s grandparents owned a small grocery store and believed in treating all of their customers equally, frequently selling goods on credit to people of all races.
Located in a predominantly black neighborhood, the grocery was considered the most integrated location in all of Hope.
Clinton had always recounted that he had a great love for his grandfather Eldridge Cassidy and stated that he taught him how to read at the age of four and awakened his passion for learning.
Spending time with his grandfather at work at the mercantile, Clinton says he learned much about social justice and treating everyone with dignity.
When Clinton was ten years old his grandfather died young of a massive heart attack.
For the rest of his years in politics, Clinton always kept a photo of his Grandfather Cassidy, or “Pawpaw” as he called him, on his desk.
In 1950, when Clinton was four years old, his mother returned from nursing school. It was then that Clinton’s life would make a big change.
His mother married Roger Clinton, Sr. in 1950. As he was an automobile salesman in Hot Springs, the family moved there that same year.
In many later interviews, Clinton looks back at his life from age 4 to his late teens as chaotic.
He changed his name to his stepfather’s but it was at the age of 15 that he officially adopted it out of respect.
He describes his stepfather as a man who was not evil or malicious but one who had many demons long before he came into Clinton’s life.
Many times Clinton watched his stepfather abuse his mother, and when he was five years old he even witnessed him shoot a gun at her in their home, which he remembers vividly.
As time went on Clinton struggled with the lack of male role models in his life. He never knew his father, and missed his grandfather terribly.
He wanted a relationship with his stepfather but knew that could never be.
He stated in interviews that these factors greatly affected his relationships and his ability to feel as though he might have a healthy marriage one day.
As much as his loving grandparents shaped his life, Clinton has said his mother and stepfather did as well. He admits that living in a home in which he was always around chaos, made him a peacemaker by nature, always wanting to quell any disagreements or negative situations himself.
He says this affected his role in politics for years to come.
While living with her at the house on Hervy wrote to a friend around Christmastime when Clinton was a young boy: “…for Christmas we are giving him a child-sized roll-top desk because we know he’ll grow up to be the President and will need a desk.”
William Clinton served as the 42nd President of the United States for two terms from 1993 to 2001.
He is credited with presiding over America during the longest period of peacetime economic expansion in history.
Perhaps this was a nod to his admission that his greatest strength and also weakness was feeling he had to be a peacemaker his entire life.
“When you are president and go the extra mile, others will interpret it as weakness,” Clinton said.
Things to know before your visit
Entrance fee
$0.00 - There is no entrance fee to visit the park.
Planning a National Park vacation? America the Beautiful/National Park Pass covers entrance fees for an entire year to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites.
The park pass covers everyone in the car for per vehicle sites and for up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy on REI.com and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
Time Zone
Central Time Zone
Pets
Pets are allowed on external areas, parking areas, and along paved roads but not inside the buildings. Must be kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet at all times.
Cell Service
The park normally has great cell phone service.
Park Hours
Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST/CDT.
The park is closed on Wednesdays, Thursdays, New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Public access to NHS grounds and the Virginia Clinton Kelley Memorial Garden is available every day from sunrise to sunset.
Wi-Fi
There is no public WiFi available at the park.
Insect Repellent
Insect repellent is always a great idea when outdoors, especially if you are around any body of water.
We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips.
Water Bottle
Make sure to bring your own water bottle and plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.
Parking
There is parking along the street in front of the visitor center.
Food/Restaurants
There are no restaurants within the park.
Gas
There are no gas stations within the park.
Drones
Drones are not permitted within National Park Sites.
National Park Passport Stamps
National Park Passport stamps can be found in the visitor center.
Make sure to bring your National Park Passport Book with you or we like to pack these circle stickers so we don't have to bring our entire book with us.
President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home NHS is part of the 2023 Passport Stamp Set.
Electric Vehicle Charging
There are 7 public charging stations in Hope, Arkansas including 4 DC Fast Chargers.
Details about President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home NHS
Size - 1 acres
Check out how the park compares to other National Parks by Size.
Date Established
May 19, 1994 - Added to the National Register of Historic Places
December 14, 2010 - National Historic Site established.
Visitation
In 2022, President W.J. Clinton Birthplace Home NHS had 6,078 park visitors.
In 2021, President W.J. Clinton Birthplace Home NHS had 7,279 park visitors.
In 2020, President W.J. Clinton Birthplace Home NHS had 4,055 park visitors.
In 2019, President W.J. Clinton Birthplace Home NHS had 8,758 park visitors.
Learn more about the most visited and least visited National Parks in the US
National Park Address
412 Division Street
Hope, AR 71801
Where is President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home NHS?
Hope is 30 miles from Texarkana (TX, AR) and 110 miles from Little Rock.
Estimated distance from major cities nearby
Hot Springs, AR - 80 miles
Garland, TX - 201 miles
Plano, TX - 210 miles
Dallas, TX - 209 miles
Tulsa, OK - 283 miles
Memphis, TN - 245 miles
Oklahoma City, OK - 321 miles
Baton Rouge, LA - 342 miles
Houston, TX - 324 miles
Estimated Distance from nearby National Park
Hot Springs National Park - 88 miles
Gateway Arch National Park - 458 miles
Great Smoky Mountains National Park - 650 miles
New River Gorge National Park - 896 miles
Indiana Dunes National Park - 765 miles
Congaree National Park - 856 miles
Cuyahoga Valley National Park - 966 miles
Where is the National Park Visitor Center?
The address for the visitor center is 412 W. Division Street, Hope, AR 71801. The visitor center is next door to the Clinton home.
Getting to President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home NHS
Closest Airports
Texarkana Airport (TXK)
International Airports
Little Rock Airport (LIT)
Driving Directions
The NHS is located off of the main road. Our GPS had us turn right in front of the house.
The turn was across the main street into what we thought was a small alley/side road
The small road pulls right up to the house and you can park on the side of the road.
To access the house you will need to go through the visitor center.
From I-30, use Exit 30 and travel south on Hwy 278 (Hervey Street) for approximately 2 miles. The Birthplace Home is on your left at the corner of 2nd Street and South Hervey Street; the Visitor Center is located on Division Street (immediately northeast of the Birthplace Home).
Best time to visit President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home NHS
The best time to visit the park is any time you can get there. The majority of the park is the guided indoor tour of the birthplace home.
Weather and Seasons
The hot season occurs from May 31st to September 20th, with an average daily high temperature above 85 degrees.
The cold season occurs from November 26th to February 23rd, with an average daily high temperature below 61 degrees.
The snowy season occurs from December 10th to February 19th, with snowfall of at least 1 inch a month. It snows the most in January, with an average of 1.6 inches.
Best Things to do in President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home NHS
This park will take between 30 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on if you are planning on taking a tour.
If you are not planning on taking a tour the park will not take long at all.
Visitor Center
The visitor center has displays showing President Clinton's childhood and family. There is also a bookstore/gift shop in the visitor center.
House Tour
Guided tours are offered every 45 minutes beginning at 9:00 am with the last tour leaving at 3:45 pm. For more information, call 870-777-4455.
Park rangers lead the 25-minute guided tours of the birthplace home.
Junior Ranger Program
President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home Junior Ranger program can be printed ahead of your visit if you wish to start working on it.
The junior ranger program includes taking a tour of the Clinton home, interviewing a park ranger, some history info from the visitor center, a journal entry, and word search.
Plan for the junior ranger program to take 30 to 60 minutes depending on the age of the participant. A lot will depend on if you take a tour of the house.
How to beat the crowds?
We did not see any other visitors during our time in the park.
Where to stay when visiting
There are no National Park Lodges at the park. Nearby lodging is available including
Motel 6 Hope, AR - 2 min drive to the park. Take advantage of laundry facilities, a gym, and a snack bar/deli at Motel 6 Hope, AR. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi.
Super 8 by Wyndham Hope - 3 min drive to the park. Take advantage of free to-go breakfast, a grocery/convenience store, and a garden at Super 8 by Wyndham Hope. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi, and guests can find other amenities such as laundry facilities and a business center.
Best Western Of Hope - 3 min drive to the park. You can look forward to free full breakfast, laundry facilities, and a 24-hour business center at Best Western Of Hope. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi.
Holiday Inn Express Hope, an IHG Hotel - 2 min drive to the park. A free breakfast buffet, dry cleaning/laundry services, and a business center are just a few of the amenities provided at Holiday Inn Express Hope, an IHG Hotel. Guests can connect to free in-room Wi-Fi.
Hampton Inn & Suites Hope - 3 min drive to the park. Located close to President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site, Hampton Inn & Suites Hope provides a terrace, dry cleaning/laundry services, and a fireplace in the lobby. In addition to a gym and a 24-hour business center, guests can connect to free in-room Wi-Fi.
Click on the map below to see current vacation rentals and lodges near the park.
Camping
There are no National Park Campgrounds at the park.
For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!
Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, New York, and Orlando
Parks Near President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home NHS
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site - 114 miles
Arkansas Post National Memorial - 176 miles
Fort Smith National Historic Site - 178 miles
Vicksburg National Military Park - 223 miles
Waco National Monument - 309 miles
Check out all of the Arkansas National Parks along with neighboring National Parks in Texas, National Parks in Tennessee, National Parks in Oklahoma, Missouri National Parks, Mississippi National parks, and Louisiana National Parks.
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