August 13,
2009. Hannibal, Missouri
Leaving the Hannibal Inn in the
early afternoon after sleeping late, a motel located at 4141 market Street in
Hannibal, Missouri (one that had the most reasonable room rates when I was
there, taking into consideration that it was the height of summer tourist
season in Hannibal), I drove toward Downtown Hannibal. As a writer, I wanted to
better understand one of America’s most famous writers, Mark Twain. That said,
after getting lunch at Hardee’s and/or some other fast food place, I went to
see the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum Properties. After all, I felt this
was something I absolutely had to see. Not just as an American born citizen of
the United States, but also, as a writer myself.
Located at 415 North Main Street in
Hannibal, the Mark Twain Museum Tour not only includes the Mark Twain Boyhood
Home. A national historical landmark. It also includes several other historical
landmarks as well. The Becky Thatcher House, Huckleberry Finn House, J.M.
Clemens Justice of the Peace Office, and yes, Museum Gallery and Interpretive
Center. All included in the ticket price, which, at the time, was around ten
dollars for adults. Believe me, it was well worth the price! I ended up
returning the next day to see the museum but had to buy another ticket; no big
deal, I wanted to see what I missed.
As for the association involving
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) and Hannibal, Missouri? According to the story,
Samuel Clemens was born prematurely, on November 30, 1835, in Florida, Missouri
to his parents, John Marshall and Jane Lampton Clemens. Clemens father also
known as Judge John Marshall, at the time of his birth, Halley’s Comet could be
seen in the skies above Florida, Missouri. (I must admit that Missouri had some
weird names for towns, many directly correlating with names of various Southern
states in the USA.) Four years later, in 1839, his parents moved to Hannibal.
His father, John Marshall, going into business as a merchant and operating the
local general store. The family moving into what is now known as the Mark Twain
Boyhood Home sometime around 1843-1844, they lived there only a few years.
Poverty forcing Clemens’ Parents to move out of their new home and into the
home of Dr. Grant and his family; the doctors home located above Grant’s Drug
Store in Hannibal.
