Most small towns in the world share quite a few things in common, like having one main street for shopping or a tighter community feel. Some tend to be extremely picturesque, filled with historical buildings, old homes and unmarred by Walmarts and other major chains. However, not all of them have what Hannibal, Missouri has. Not all can boast that they were the town who inspired one of the greatest American novels of all time, in addition to being the hometown that raised the author.
Founded in 1819 by Moses D. Bate, the small river town of Hannibal served as a port for boats traveling the upper Mississippi.
It wasn't until 1839, that Hannibal's most famous resident moved into town. The Clemens family moved 30 miles from Florida, Missouri to Hannibal, bringing their son Samuel Clemens, whom we now know today as Mark Twain.
Mark Twain wrote a number of novels, but his most famous was, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." It is said that the town of Hannibal and Twain's experiences while living there is what inspired this classic American tale.
The town is so proud of Twain that they've worked hard to preserve much of his history. Visitors can go to The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum to learn more about Twain's ties to Hannibal.
Part of the museum includes the childhood home of Laura Hawkins. Hawkins and Twain played with each other as children and she is said to have inspired the character of Becky Thatcher in Twain's book.
And who could forget the fence? Visitors can walk by the fence that Tom Sawyer convinced his friends to not only paint for him, but also to pay him for having the opportunity to do so.
The fun doesn't just stop at the museum. Visitors can also enjoy a ride on the Mark Twain Riverboat and enjoy historical sightseeing or a live jazz band at night during the dinner cruise.
Whether you’re a book nerd or not, Mark Twain and his book, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” played a huge role in history. And for that, Hannibal is a town that is definitely worth checking out.
The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum is located at 120 N. Main Street in Hannibal, Missouri. Not too far down the street from there, is the Mark Twain Brewery. This town sure does love their Mark Twain.
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