In search of Tom and Huck: Mark Twain’s Hannibal, Mo.
Located 100 miles north of St. Louis along the shores of the Mississippi, Hannibal, Mo., has a storied history. The former stomping grounds of American humorist Mark Twain, Hannibal is the town that inspired two of the most beloved characters in literature: Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
Adventure awaits
Visitors looking to follow in the footsteps of Tom and Huck do not have to go far within Hannibal to find traces of the dynamic duo: They can tour Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home Museum and properties to learn more about the famous author and how he turned his childhood friends into timeless characters. Not only will guests see period pieces and memorabilia from Twain’s life in this National Historic Landmark, they will also have the chance to visit the Becky Thatcher House, the Huck Finn House, the J.M. Clemens Justice of the Peace Office, Grant’s Drug Store, museum gallery and the Interpretive Center, all for the price of admission.
Beyond the museum, adventure awaits as folks snap a selfie at the Tom and Huck statue on Main Street, scale the 244 steps up Cardiff Hill to view the Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse, or enjoy a cruise on the Mark Twain Riverboat. The Mark Twain Riverboat was built in 1964 and has been a fixture on the Mississippi for over three decades. Offering both one-hour narrated sightseeing tours as well as two-hour dinner cruises, visitors say it is a great way to experience the mighty Mississippi up close.
Recreate the iconic Tom and Becky spelunking scene from the book by visiting the Mark Twain Cave Complex, the state’s newest and oldest show caves. The Mark Twain Cave is a popular, 60-minute trek that is easy walking and electrically lit while also capturing the geology of the region. Be sure to check out Mark Twain’s name that was handwritten on the walls of the cave 170 years ago but only discovered a few years ago.
Cameron Cave is also an easy 90-minute walking tour that is about a mile in length. Those looking for something a little more physically challenging can book a Cameron Cave “Wild Tour” in which they will climb and crawl through the deepest recesses of the cave.
“We recently finished reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, so we brought our girls to Hannibal to make the book come alive,” said Lynsey Lawson Kern, a homeschooling mom from Harrisonville, Mo. “The cave tour was by far their favorite part.”
Jim’s Journey
Open seasonally, Jim’s Journey: The Huck Finn Freedom Center is Hannibal’s newest museum, and it is a must-see for everyone. Highlighting one of Twain’s most complex and underrepresented characters, the Freedom Center spotlights the African American experience in Hannibal and the nation’s first memorial to Jim-prototype Daniel Quarles.
Born a slave to Amos Quarles in Caroline County, Va., in 1798, Daniel eventually became the property of John Quarles, who was three years his senior and a favorite uncle of Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain. When Quarles relocated to Florida, Mo., in around 1827, he was a wealthy man who owned 30 slaves, including Daniel and his eventual wife, Hannah. Clemens considered the couple his aunt and uncle and spent many evenings listening to the two share stories, superstitions and music whenever he visited the Quarles property.
After his emancipation on Nov. 15, 1855, Daniel continued to work as a field hand on the Quarles farm for the next 10 years until he moved to Hannibal in 1870 with his new wife, Catherine, and his four children. Daniel died in Hannibal around 1880, but his descendants remained in the area until at least 1912 before migrating to Iowa, Texas, California and Illinois.
55The Huck Finn Freedom Center contains over 600 artifacts ranging from the pre-Civil War era to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. There are a number of historic photographs, vintage items and personal belongings that have been donated to the museum and that are thoughtfully displayed to encourage questions and understanding.
“If you are visiting Hannibal to learn about Samuel Clemens, Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, Becky Thatcher – Jim’s Journey is a critical part of the storied tour – don’t miss this opportunity,” said Susan Ikazakiy on the center’s website. “It’s Northeast Missouri’s only Black History Museum. Don’t let the size of the building deter you: It’s packed full of great history. It’s a gem of a visit.”
While visiting all of the Mark Twain-related sites in Hannibal, don’t forget to stop by the Molly Brown Birthplace and Museum at 400 N. Main Street. Long before she became the “unsinkable” Molly Brown following the Titanic disaster in 1912, she had her humble beginnings in Hannibal, and although the museum is temporarily closed, the exterior is still visible to tourists and worth a stop. More can be learned about Brown’s rags-to-riches story and her humble beginnings in Hannibal by stopping in at the Mark Twain Book and Gift Shop, which carries a wide range of Twain-related volumes as well as local authors and other Hannibal notables.
No1: The Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn statue in Hannibal, Mo., celebrates Mark Twain’s beloved literary characters whose stories are based on Twain’s hometown. (Photos by Julie Young) 
No2: The Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse atop Cardiff Hill is not only where many of Tom and Huck’s adventures take place, but it is also a great spot to look over downtown Hannibal, Mo., as well as the mighty Mississippi River. 
No3: The Huck Finn Freedom Center showcases the African American experience in Hannibal while highlighting the man who inspired the character of Jim, Daniel Quarles. 
No4: The Molly Brown Birthplace and Museum is temporarily closed, but its existence still celebrates the “unsinkable” heroine of the Titanic disaster, who was one of Hannibal. Mo.’s, notable residents. No5: Local businesses embrace the Twain connection in Hannibal, including Becky’s Ice Cream Parlor
