Mark Twain wrote some of the greatest American novels, such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In 1874, Twain built a gorgeous dream home at Nook Farm in Hartford, Connecticut. However, Mark Twain was not the only famous author in the neighborhood. His famous neighbor was none other than Harriet Beecher Stowe, who lived right across the street. Stowe was an abolitionist famous for writing Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Harriet Beecher Stowe passed away in 1896, while the Twain family moved from Hartford in 1899. However, both homes are preserved as historic museums and tours are available to the general public. Visitors not only learn more about the lives of these famous authors, but also feel as though they've stepped into the Victorian era.
More about Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Hartford:
- Mark Twain is a pen name. The famous author's actual name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. His historic home at Nook Farm is also known as the Clemens House.
- Before establishing her home in Hartford, Connecticut, Harriet Beecher Stowe lived in Brunswick, Maine. This is where she penned Uncle Tom's Cabin.
- Nook Farm was home to numerous literary, business, and political figures of the era, such as Charles Warner, Joseph R. Hawley, Franklin Chamberlin, and Charles Boardman Smith.