President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

PARK OVERVIEW

President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site is located on Hervey Street in Hope, Arkansas. It preserves the home where Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, lived for the first four years of his life. As with other presidential birth homes that are part of the National Park System, the focus is on the childhood of Bill Clinton, not his political career. Visitors will learn more about the Clinton Family than Bill himself.

Bill Clinton was born on August 19, 1946. He was named William Jefferson Blythe III after his father, who died in a car accident three months prior to his birth. At the time, his mother, Virginia Cassidy Blythe, was living with her parents at their home on Hervey Street. Being a widow with a new baby, Virginia decided to further her education to make a better life for herself and her son. She traveled to New Orleans to complete her training as a nurse anesthetist while Bill remained in the care of his grandparents.

Bill’s grandmother, Edith Grisham Cassidy, was a private-duty nurse who provided in-home care for patients. His grandfather, James Eldridge Cassidy, owned a country store in town. At a time when racial equality was practically nonexistent and segregation was the norm, Bill saw his grandfather treat every customer with respect. This inspired him to dedicate his life to helping people, regardless of their race or background.

In 1950, Virginia married Roger Clinton, the owner of a local car dealership, and they moved to a house across town. The family relocated to Hot Springs, Arkansas, three years later. Bill remained close with his grandparents and often visited them for holidays and summer vacations. When his grandfather died in 1957, the house was put up for sale. His grandmother died in 1968 while Bill was studying at Georgetown University.

Bill’s younger brother, Roger Cassidy Clinton, was born in 1956. When Roger started school, Bill legally changed his last name from Blythe to Clinton to match the rest of his family.

After graduating from Yale Law School, Bill began his political career. His first elected position was the Attorney General of Arkansas in 1977. He eventually served as the Governor of Arkansas for multiple terms before becoming the 42nd President of the United States in 1992.

The Clinton Birthplace Foundation (created in 1993) purchased Clinton’s birthplace home on Hervey Street in June 1995, restored it, and opened it to the public on June 1, 1997. The house began its path towards becoming part of the National Park System when the United States Congress authorized its establishment as a National Historic Site in March 2009. The Clinton Birthplace Foundation donated the house to the National Park Service, officially transferring the deed in December 2010. The house opened to the public the following April. In addition to seeing the inside of the house on a Ranger-guided tour, guests can learn about young Bill Clinton and his family inside the Visitor Center next door.

Download the President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site Park Brochure  (13 MB PDF)

OPERATING HOURS

The Visitor Center and Birthplace Home are open year-round on Fridays through Wednesdays (closed Thursdays) from 9 AM to 4:30 PM, except when closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The grounds, which include the Virginia Clinton Kelley Memorial Garden and a couple of picnic tables, are open daily from sunrise to sunset. Keep in mind that times can always change, so be sure to get the current schedule on the National Park Service’s official Operating Hours and Seasons web page for President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site.