From our visit in St. Louis, we made our way up the east side of Missouri, to a small, but well known town of Hannibal. Hannibal is the boyhood home of the famous Mark Twain aka Samuel Clemens. Many people don’t know this, but Hannibal was also the home of another famous person…me. That’s right. I was born in Hannibal, MO.
At a very young age, my brothers and I were thrown into the Tom Sawyer Days events. We rode in a firetruck in parades, we dressed up, and I have blocked out whatever else we had to do. At one point my brothers and I came in third place in the Tom and Becky contest. Because I was so cute, the news became national news, and it made it all they way to Maryland, where we lived at the time. Told you I was famous. I won’t mention that my dad worked for the newspaper in Maryland.
Anyhoo, I use to visit my grandmother every few years, until she passed. The house she lived in was sold, but it is still exciting for me to see my home town and where my grandmother lived and the place I stayed all summer long and once a whole year!
Here is the drive up to the street. This is a steep hill, at least a 30 degree slope (according to Sir William). At the age when my friends and I were immortal, we would take off and ride our bikes down that hill. We would go so fast that we ended up half way up the other hill, without using the pedals. It was so steep we had to ride is an S curve all the way back up the hill and ride down again. I am still amazed we were not hit by a car. As I got older, I became mortal and stopped riding my bike down that hill.
Now here is my grandmother’s house as it is now. It is very run down and looked empty, but I was told it wasn’t.
Below is a picture about 22 years old. The top photo is the same house as above. I was visiting my grandmother at the time, with my sister. The bottom photo is my sister and I. Recognize it? LOL
Here is Main Street in downtown Hannibal. It was closed down for the annual Tom Sawyer Days.
Here is some flooding of the mighty Mississippi River. The very one, that Mark Twain writes about.
I remember seeing photos from my grandmother (on my mother’s side), of people in row boats outside their homes. They were floating by their second story windows! I was never there, during the floods.
And here is one last shot. This was taken from the lighthouse we walked up to. The Mississippi River.
Wait, here is one more shot. Now in a small town that is all about Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher, and Huck Finn, why or why would they want this for their main event in the town square? And look at the color of his scarf! Sad, sad, situation.
Quote from MIB (Men In Black), “Elvis isn’t dead. He just went home.”
11 responses so far ↓
1 chocolatechic // Aug 12, 2008 at 6:43 am
Since I know you are older than the hills, so you must have met Samuel Clemens. What was he like? Did you have him autograph a book for you?
No, I didn’t get his autograph. I guess I should have, silly me. He was very kind and he said he enjoyed talking with you. He also said you look good for being so old.
chocolatechics last blog post..August 12
2 Tipper // Aug 12, 2008 at 8:25 am
What a fun tour!! I loved the pictures of your grandmother’s house. And you were brave to ride the hill. Funny how we loose that as we get older.
Tippers last blog post..The Famous Brasstown Forward and Back
3 MichielleRose // Aug 12, 2008 at 8:28 am
wow, Grandmother’s house looks kind of sad and weepy, very unloved. Thanks for sharing the photos and stories, I love them.
MichielleRoses last blog post..Honey…..I’m alive and well!!!!
4 Christian Homekeeper // Aug 12, 2008 at 12:14 pm
What a fun tour ! Thank you! BTW, I know that’s not really Elvis, Elvis would never wear jockey’s under his stretchy pantsuit. HA!
Love
Sylvia
5 Melanie // Aug 12, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Sylvia is right - Elvis probably went commando. ROTFL
I’ve always wanted to see that, Applie. Thanks for posting about it!
Melanies last blog post..Pride of Ownership
6 Donna Young // Aug 12, 2008 at 10:34 pm
That’s a funny observation about underpants. LOL
I thought so too. I was thinking it was his pockets.
The difference in the house and property is something isn’t it? She had a nice house! =)
That is some long hill!! Whew, riding down that must have be fun!
It really isn’t that long. It is about a 30 degree slope. LOL Wanna go for a ride?
7 Lisa // Aug 13, 2008 at 8:47 am
Very nice pictures! You have quite a history to share with your kiddos. I must have missed the post in 7/07 of you as Becky with your brothers Tom and Huck. That is the cutest !! You look adorable.
8 missplacedalaskan // Aug 13, 2008 at 9:41 am
What great memories, Applie!
Funny about the Elvis’ wannabee’s under clothing! LOL.
missplacedalaskans last blog post..And Still Nothing~!
9 Robin // Aug 13, 2008 at 11:31 am
Isn’t that something to see some place that you spent a lot of time at when you were very young? In a flash memories come flooding back.
Loved the tour!
Hugs, Robin
10 Tressa // Aug 13, 2008 at 11:39 am
Cool pictures. I think it is really neat that you were in Tom Sawyer days. I can say that I know someone famous.
Tressas last blog post..Dogs in Cars
11 Razor Family Farms // Aug 13, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Hi Michelle!
I’m so glad that you got to tour around your hometown and wander down memory lane (literally) to such a neat place. I love Mark Twain and even named one of my chickens “Huckleberry.”
Blessings!
Lacy
Razor Family Farmss last blog post..Homemade Pizza with Focaccia Crust
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