8 cent stamp issued in 1972Miss Watson she took me in the closet and prayed but nothing come of it. Miss Mary Jane, you can’t abear to see people in trouble, and I can’t — most always. Tell me about it. Well I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence everyday?She….filled him up every day with quack cure alls.Tom, Tom, We’re lost! We’re lost!!Twain’s words of wisdom click to enlarge and readimagine riding a raft., in the dark……..
My last Hannibal post is the Mark Twain Museum Gallery – most probably my favorite because it gave me the chance to step into the pages of Twain’s most famous books. With a little imagination, I could ride a raft with Huck and Jim, explore a cave with Tom & Becky, and paint the famous whitewashed fence. Also, the Museum Gallery features 15 original Norman Rockwell paintings, as well as a wealth of artifacts from Twain’s life. In 1935 Norman Rockwell was chosen to create the illustrations in the special editions of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Adventures of Huck Finn. Some of these illustrations are in my photos above along with their captions. The original paintings were given to the museum before Rockwell died in 1978. Remember…….
“Life is short, break the rules. Forgive quickly, kiss slowly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably and never regret anything that makes you smile.” Mark Twain
Hilly HannibalBrief encounter with Tom and Becky. Soak in the history.The benches beckon you to stayRiverboat pilot Samuel ClemensHannibal’s Library dates back to 1902
Hannibal’s historic downtown has that warm hometown feeling you do not want to miss. Plenty of places to eat, shop, stroll and explore. Keep an eye out for the many colorful murals displayed on the buildings through out the town. With Hannibal dating back to 1819, I loved the old, brick buildings , impeccably maintained, inviting and repurposed for today’s time. Continue another block or two from the historic downtown to the banks of Mississippi River. Walk the wonderful paved path along the river front or sit a spell on a bench and enjoy the river’s ambiance and the nature that surrounds it. Weather permitting, take a ride on a Riverboat. See the larger than life bronze sculpture of Samuel Clemens as a young riverboat pilot, a career path Clemens tried before becoming a writer. Relax and soak in all of the intoxicating surrounding beauty.
Mark Twain’s last visit to HannibalTom and Huck Statue 1926Grants Drug StoreChildhood friends ,Mark Twain and Laura Hawkins , who became lifelong friendsLaura Hawkins /Becky Thatchers house Laura was Twain’s model for Becky in his writings.Grants Drug store for what ails you!Twain’s Boyhood home and Tom Huck’s picket fenceThese are all the characters in the first 4 books that Mark Twain wrote. What a great idea!!
Samuel Clemens ( 1835-1910), lived in Hannibal, Missouri for most of his boyhood years. It was from these years and the town of Hannibal that gave Twain ideas and models for his writings, such as the Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn adventures. Clemens took the pen name ” Mark Twain” when he began to write in 1869 and quickly grew into a famous author, a humorist and a wise man. Besides his 28 books, and numerous short stories, Twain is also known for his “words of wisdom” such as: “A lie can travel around the world and back again while the truth is lacing up its boots.” I am a huge fan of Mark Twain’s sayings! I tried to find a total count of Twain’s “words of wisdom” sayings , and the closest I could figure was over 230. Hannibal has set up a wonderful tribute and tour to Samuel Clemens’ boyhood years in Hannibal, and the future life of Mark Twain. I took a self guided walking tour of Clemens boyhood home, Becky Thatcher’s home (which in reality is the home of Clemens’ lifelong friend from childhood, Laura Hawkins), Clemens father’s Justice of the Peace Office, Grants Drug store and the apartment above the drug store where Clemens lived with his family for a brief time. There are also statues, a cave, a lighthouse, museums and riverboats to visit that have a Mark Twain (lovingly) twist to them. All are interesting, enjoyable and well done. I only had 2 days in Hannibal and I missed a lot, so plan your time accordingly. Top it off with the charming town of Hannibal and it all creates a wonderful get away!
Remember – you can click on any individual photo to enlarge it. : ) Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!!
Rockcliffe Mansion today – it needs a paint job but the house was built like a fortress. This house sits behind Rockcliffe. It was moved so that Rockcliffe could be built on its original spot..Beautiful harp in the Music RoomEach room has its own thermostatic heat controlTiffany Stained Glass in the front door.kitchenTiffany stained glass at the top of the grand staircase landingTiffany lampFainting Room – these were needed due to the tight corsets’ the women wore. Painting of Rockcliffe in its finer days. The brick walls lead to the carriage house
Hannibal, Missouri was my destination for a weekend get away in November, 2021. Hannibal is best known for being the boyhood home of author Mark Twain ( born Samuel Clemens). First on my agenda was a guided tour of the fascinating history and incredibly built Rockcliffe Mansion. Rockcliffe was built from 1898- 1900 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The mansion sits, overlooking the Mississippi River and the town of Hannibal, on a limestone bluff. This mansion was built for a lumber baron, John J. Cruikshank, Jr. It was built with double brick interior construction, had a total of 13,500 square feet, 30 rooms (of which 9 are bedrooms and 7 bathrooms). There are 10 marble and tiled fireplaces, 125 windows, hand carved and ornate woodwork, custom-made gas/electric-combination lighting fixtures, and the finest plumbing fixtures and hardware. It was decorated in Late Victoria and Art Nouveau and full of Tiffany chandeliers, lamps and stained glass windows. Most of the original furnishings and fixtures were still in the house when it was bought for restoration. . The Cruikshank family lived there for 24 years. In 1902 during Mark Twain’s last trip to Hannibal, Twain entertained hundreds of people from the grand staircase at Rockcliffe. When John died in 1924, John’s wife moved in with one of her daughters and the house was locked up, as is, and sat unoccupied for 43 years. Under threat of the house being demolished, 3 local families bought the house and the restoration process began. Restoration is on-going based on original photos found in the home and also operates as a Bed and Breakfast where you can sleep in an original bedroom/bathroom and it’s furnishings. I have toured many mansions, castles and old homes in my years, but this tour was definitely the most interesting, entertaining and thorough of them all. We toured all 3 floors, from the Music Room to the kitchen and butler pantries on the 1st floor, to the 2nd floor, where all of the bedrooms formed a circle , each room with 3 entrances/exists in case of fire, and the 3th floor with its ballroom, servants and nanny ‘s quarters and a classroom as the children were taught at home. If you are a fan of old buildings, I highly recommend making the trip to Hannibal to tour Rockcliffe Mansion . The lighting in the house was kept dim to preserve the interior so many of my photos do not do Rockcliffe justice. But you can look up : https://www.rockcliffemansion.com/history.html to see more photos of Rockcliffe. More posts to follow about Hannibal’s sights. Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed!
Jeannie's Travel Addiction 