Welcome back to National Parks and other public lands with T!
New England Road Trip➤
Patty and I hit the road again in April 2023. We planned to visit a friend in Rhode Island and attend a meetup of the National Park Travelers Club in Massachusetts. Along the way we hit several other National Park Units and historic sites. We stopped first at the Mark Twain House.
The Home of Samuel Clemens➤
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, also known as Mark Twain, lived in the Gothic-style home in Hartford, Connecticut with his family for 17 years. He wrote many of his best-known works while living there, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Prince and the Pauper, and more.
The family raised three daughters there. Our docent told us the years spent in this home were the happiest of the Clemens’ lives. Clemens told ad-libbed bedtime stories to his children in the parlor every night. The girls demanded that each night’s story be new and encompass some of the objects displayed on the room’s mantle. Clemens honed his skills as a storyteller in these sessions as he had a very discerning audience.
In 1891, Samuel Clemens, his wife and their daughter Clara moved to Europe due to financial troubles. Clemens traveled, taking paid speaking engagements to pay off his debts. They returned in 1896, but their daughter Susy, who had remained in the states, died of meningitis before they got back. The heartbroken family no longer wished to live in the house, so they sold it.
The building later functioned as a school, an apartment building, and a public library. The non-profit Mark Twain Memorial group rescued it from demolition in 1929. The building attained National Historic Landmark status in 1962. Restored, it opened as a house museum in 1974. In 2003, the group added a visitors’ center which includes a museum dedicated to showcasing Twain’s life and work. We watched the movie, perused the exhibits and took photos with Lego Mark Twain before our house tour began.
New England Posts➤
- Mark Twain
- Roger Williams
- Slater Mill
- New Bedford Whaling
- Cape Cod: Nauset Marsh Trail
- Cape Cod: Three Sisters Lights
- Cape Cod: Nauset Light
- Pilgrim Memorial State Park
- Minute Man: Hartwell
- Minute Man: Battle Road
- Springfield Armory
Location: 351 Farmington Ave, Hartford, CT
Designation: National Historic Landmark
Date designated/established: December 29, 1962
Date of my visit: April 12, 2023
What an incredible building and history. It almost feels like one would be obliged to produce fantastic literature in such a structure. Sladja and I would both love to visit one day, thanks for the overview. Boo to the no-photos inside policy, I hope you are well T and is all good with your family in these troubled times.
Thanks Leighton! The Mark Twain house is next door to the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, so a great place for American literature. Stowe was closed the day we were there or we would have toured that as well.
I have visited the house also. I loved the conservatory and the Angel bed.
The conservatory is wonderful but alas, no photos allowed.
I have always liked the architecture of the Mark Twain house. I have dreamt living in it. There is really a lot of history there.
I too used to dream of living in a Victorian house, but unless one wins the lotto, it’s impractical. Always something to fix 🙂
Ha Ha Ha,,, So true
Hope all is well up north and the wildfire danger is over and done!
We haven’t had any smoke in our city for 5 days now so I hope it’s all over too.
Thank goodness!
I grew up with a picture of Mark Twain over my bedroom door. He was such an influence on me. I can’t wait to see this one day.
Thanks for sharing this amazing place to visit. We will definitely add to our favorites.
If you time your visit right, you can also visit the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center next door. Our timing was off.
I’ve added some of his works to my reading list following this visit. I’m sure we read Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn when I was a kid, but I can’t recall now. I’m embarrassed to say, that before this visit, my knowledge of the man’s character was limited to the portrayal of him in Star Trek:TNG.
What a great looking house!
Thanks! A great place to visit, but neighborhood is a little run down now. They had some vandalism on the property a couple of years ago.
The house features prominently in Ken Burns’s excellent biopic about Mark Twain. I highly recommend it.
I will definitely have to look for that one. I still haven’t seen his National Park series.
I’m sure you will love it, especially having visited so many National Parks.
My goodness, that porch alone is worth the visit.
There is a conservatory inside which is pretty amazing…a lovely green space with a water feature just off the living room.
A very stylish house. Interesting read thank you.
Thanks Vivienne!
This one has been on my list for a long time, and I’m so glad you covered it. Great post, T.
The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center is right next door. If you do decide to visit, try to go when both are open. Our timing was off.
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