Hannibal is Gonna Get You: Mark Twain’s idyllic 1860s Hometown

Since Tom Sawyer’s adventures were based on Sam Clemens’ boyhood antics, sites in Hannibal weave between fiction and reality. Restored by the WPA in the 1930’s, Clemens’ childhood home is now a museum dedicated to his family, life and the people who became characters in his two most famous works. After whitewashing Tom’s fence and paying our entrance fee, we perused through a museum full of quotes and artifacts from Sam’s life, including an antique printing press!

Born in 1935 shortly after the appearance of Hailey’s comet, Samuel Clemens spent his childhood avoiding school and exploring the hills surrounding Hannibal. After the death of his father, 11-year-old Sam went to work as a printer’s apprentice. Using his skill as a ticket to travel and further his education, he gained a spot as a Steamboat pilot apprentice, quickly earning his own ship.

While serving as a riverboat pilot, Sam picked up the term that would become his pen name. Lead pilots would cry “mark twain” when the river had safe clearance of two fathoms (12ft). After failing as a miner in Nevada, he began writing for the local paper and first used the pen name Mark Twain in 1863. As Twain he hit his stride, penning several more humorous stories before using his childhood in Hannibal as the basis for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer in 1876 and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn nine years later.

After fully immersing ourselves in Twain’s origin story at the museum, the next stop was the home of Tom Blankenship, the basis for Huckleberry Finn. By far the smallest of the houses, it was unfurnished and definitely gave the vibe of a less affluent household. Then it was onto the upper level of the Clemens house, which was much larger than Huck’s, but apparently also meager for its time.

Tom Sawyer’s sweetheart Becky Thatcher was based on Sam’s lifelong friend Laura Hawkins, who lived across the street. Her home provided a charming insight into children’s lives in the 1850s, showcasing clothing and toys of the different social classes. Next stop was the law office of Sam’s father, set to depict a scene where Tom Sawyer sees a dead man.

Lastly, we explored the town pharmacy, home to the Grant family with whom the Clemens family stayed for a time. This somber exhibit depicted the stark reality of infectious diseases prior to industrial sanitation, antibiotics and vaccines. Of the seven children born to Sam’s parents, only 3 survived to adulthood. Sadly, this was the norm of the time. As one exhibit shared: 25% of children died before age one, 25% didn’t make age 21 and another 25% didn’t see age 40.

As a small-town girl, I always get excited to see a vibrant historic Main Street! While most of the shops were closed during our Sunday afternoon visit, we were pleasantly surprised to see most of them occupied. If visiting during the late week or Saturday, various restaurants, trinket shops and snack vendors occupy vibrantly painted buildings.

Twain’s fingerprints abound on plaques throughout the town sharing many of the structure’s connections with him. Statues depicting Twain as a pilot near the Riverboat landing and Tom Sawyer at the end of main street highlight the pride Hannibal takes in its connection to the author. Built to honor Twain’s 100th birthday, the Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse provides panoramic views of the town along the mighty Mississippi. Finding each nod to the legend feels like completing an unexpected scavenger hunt!

After visiting several big-name caves during the past year (Mammoth Cave NP, Carlsbad Caverns NP, Cathedral Caverns SP), the kids said they were not interested in any during our 2022 Summer Road Trip. But after visiting Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher’s homes, they decided we must see the famous Mark Twain Cave!

Like everything in Hannibal, the one-hour cave tour wove historical and scientific facts with the fictional tale of Tom Sawyer. Unlike the aforementioned caves created by underground rivers or acidic water seepage, these labyrinthian caves were created when the weight of an ancient body of water fractured the even more ancient limestone into a matrix.

Nineteenth century Hannibal locals, including Sam, loved exploring the winding caves by candlelight, leaving their names etched into the walls. Just inside the cave entrance lies a nook used by famous outlaw Jesse James, who left his name and date behind. Visible behind a small frame in “Autograph Alley” we found the verified scribble of Sam Clemens!

In “Grand Avenue” we learned the cave was owned by a physician who stored his deceased daughter’s remains in an alcohol filled copper barrel to examine a better way to preserve bodies. Dark spots mark the ceiling in this expansive room where columns of bats once hung in the dark, inspiring another scene from the Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Long shelves in the “Parlor” invite guests to have a sit and spy the crystals lining the walls that children used to mine as “diamonds”. A treasure box can be found in the “likely” location that Tom Sawyer discovered it. Fabulous lighting makes the “Glacier” and “Aladdin’s Palace” rooms a treat for the eyes. As we passed several historical entrances on the way back to the gift shop, we decided this is our favorite cave thanks to a fabulous tour guide and the magical story from Mark Twain.

Between the town and cave lies a steep hill to the Lover’s Leap lookout over the Mississippi River. The story goes that a young man and woman from warring Native American tribes fell in love. When her father found out that he had come to visit, he sent a party out to kill the man. Cornered at this location, they chose to leap to their death versus being captured or living without one another. Definitely worth a stop, I’m sure it would be an optimal place to catch a sunrise:)

Quietly nestled into the property behind Mark Twain’s Cave, the RV park spots were generous and littered with huge shade trees. We prefer flat spots with lots of shade, and the northern spots are definitely better in our opinion. Bathhouse amenities were clean and the small playground was just right for the kids to stretch their legs. With the Cave and Winery located just paces from the RV park and tours that transport guests into town, a family could easily spend a whole weekend enjoying this lovely retreat.