Mark Twain – The Traveling Todds

October 8, 2023. Finally, time to explore Mark Twain’s Hannibal, Missouri. I fell in love with my fellow Sagittarius writer at an early age. About the time in my life when I was looking for people to admire, I read the Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Learning more about the author convinced me that Samuel L. Clemens must be on my list of most admired people.

The town has gone all out to honor their favorite son. His name graces business signs, a statue in the harbor honors him as a steamboat captain, a museum details his life story. And homes where he and his friends lived extend the museum experience.

The Boyhood Home

The Boyhood Home was built in 1843 or 1844. The Clemens family lived there until they moved above Grant’s Drug Store.

Timeline of the Clemens family in Hannibal, Missouri

A bit of history reveals the John Marshall Clemens family of five moved to Hannibal, Missouri, in November 1839. Eight years later, Samuel’s father died from pneumonia, leaving the family in poverty. Samuel left school to work and help keep the family afloat. He hopped from one job to another, getting fired or quitting work he found boring. These included stints as a grocery, bookstore, and apothecary clerk; he also worked for a blacksmith and delivered papers for the Hannibal Gazette.

*Life on the Mississippi* and *The Prince and the Pauper* books by Mark Twain

Eighteen months after his father’s death, his mother Jane apprenticed the boy to Joseph P. Ament, the new publisher of the Gazette. Typesetting suited Samuel better than his previous forays in the working world. Later, he worked for his brother Orion on his paper and started writing articles and short stories. And the rest, as one might say, is history I’ll leave to readers to explore on their own. The photos below are but a few of many I took on our self-guided tour.

Sample of interpretations in the museum and homes

The Blankenship Home (Huck Finn)

The following photos are of the rebuilt Blankenship Home, identified as the home of Huck Finn. The original Blankenship house was demolished in 1911. Chris Coons owned the land in 1998 and donated the property with a stipulation the home would be reconstructed.

The Parham family funded the reconstruction. The builder used the original plans and materials as a guide, making modifications to correspond to a photo that showed the original house was framed and not built as a log cabin.

The house was completed and dedicated on May 26, 2007.

The Hawkins Home (Becky Thatcher)

The following photo is of the Elijah Hawkins’ house where his daughter Laura (Becky Thatcher) lived. The home went through a full restoration in 2013 and in 2020, a new interpretation was installed.

Justice of the Peace Office

Grant’s Drug Store

Hard times hit the Clemens family in 1846, so they moved above Grant’s Drug Store. Samuels’ father died in one of the rooms on March 24, 1847. Mrs. Sarah Marshall Mahan gave the building to the city in 1955. (Imagine living in a house where Twain slept) The building opened for tours to the public in 1959 after extensive rehabilitation. Additional restoration took place in 2017 and the museum installed a new interpretation in 2020.

Mark Twain Museum

The museum holds a collection of Norman Rockwell paintings, books, and artifacts.

In 1935, Heritage Press commissioned Norman Rockwell to illustrate special editions of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Rockwell completed preliminary sketches of the paintings before he visited Hannibal. He had to redraw one of those sketches because it did not match the actual house.

This photo shows a roof and shutters, but this did not match the actual house.

So, Rockwell revised the sketch to include a drain pipe and eliminated the shutters.

Several years ago, I visited Twain’s home in Hartford, Connecticut, and gained a deeper understanding of the man in his prime. We’ve seen the replica cabin near Angels Camp, California, where Twain gathered material for his short story, “Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” and the semi-autobiographical book Roughing It. And in Virginia City, Nevada, Mark Twain popped up as an editor of the Territorial Enterprise.

On this day, I gained a deeper understanding of the town, the boy, and the friends and neighbors that inspired many of the stories Twain wrote. One of these days I hope to visit Elmira, New York, where Twain and his family spent many summers with his sister-in-law’sfamily.

Up Next: A riverboat cruise, a lighthouse, lover’s leap, and a walk through Sodalis Nature Preserve

Safe Travels

We had a short two-hour drive from Jefferson City to Hannibal Caves and Campground on October 6, 2023. I was eager to explore Mark Twain’s childhood stomping grounds, which inspired his books, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

But first we checked out the Marina and Riverfront Park where a memorial to Mark Twain stood and the American Serenade had docked.

We noticed a discernible difference between the Mississippi that flowed by Hannibal and what we saw in St. Louis. Here the water looked cleaner, not as muddy, and the river banks were prettier to look at, not as industrial.

Before we gorged on all things, Mark Twain, we visited the 125-year-old Rockcliffe Mansion that served as J. J. Cruikshank’s family home from 1900 until his death in 1924.

What’s unusual about this historic home is that, except for caretakers who lived there for several years, the family had abandoned it for 43 years. J. J. Cruikshank, a lumber baron, spared not a penny to decorate and furnish the 12,500 square foot home with lavish amenities, art, and possessions, much of which remain intact. The family of six moved into the mansion during the year 1900.

Upon Cruikshank’s death, the remaining family members moved next door to smaller accommodations. They left most everything behind until the mid-1960s when city officials ruled the building an eyesore and slated it for demolition.

Although teenagers often entered the home during its abandonment, they left the bookcases and books untouched. Typical teenagers.

Walk-in closet with dresses from the era.

I thought this bedroom had a safari feel to it.

Dresser with mirror and trunk in the closet

Morocco came to mind when I entered this room.

Three local families realized the value of the mansion, formed a corporation, purchased the property in 1967, and saved it from destruction. The corporation cleaned up the house and surrounding property and opened it to the public for tours.

In June 2005, Rick Rose purchased the mansion and had grand plans for further restoration, adding tours, and offering other activities at the property. Falling on hard times, the property fell into bankruptcy five years later.

Through the bankruptcy court, Warren Bitnner, an attorney from Miami, and Juan Ruiz, a banker, bought the house for $567,000 in April 2010. Bittner and Ruiz continue to operate the tours and renovate the mansion as funds are available. Included on their reno list is rebuilding the original porches that once wrapped around the building on either side of the entrance.

Stained glass window on double staircase landing

Back and side of mansion with porte-cochere

Fancy a stay in the Rockcliffe Mansion? The Bed-and-Breakfast offers a handful of rooms to choose from. Amenities include a free tour of the house upon check-in at 4:00 pm, a wine and cheese reception from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and a three-course home-cooked breakfast at 8:30 am. Coffee and tea are available at 7:30 am. Enjoy a private bathroom, room air conditioners, and radiator heating while gazing out at the expansive views of the city and river. Book rooms from March 15 through November 15.

Next Up: Finally, all things Mark Twain and a riverboat cruise.

Safe Travels

The Traveling Todds

Tag: Mark Twain

2023 Fall Adventure Episode 8: Hannibal Missouri, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum

2023 Fall Adventure Episode 7: Rockcliffe Mansion in Hannibal, Missouri

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