Exploring The Mark Twain House in Hartford, Connecticut
On a bustling city street in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, the Mark Twain House & Museum offers a vibrant, intimate look at the Clemens family during some of their happiest days.
In 1874, Samuel Clemens — better known by his pen name, Mark Twain — moved into a 25-room Farmington Avenue mansion in Hartford, Connecticut, with his wife, Livy, and their two young daughters, Susy and Clara (baby sister Jean would come along in 1880). The family spent a total of 17 lively years in the house, and it’s where Clemens wrote some of his best-loved works.
Tour the Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford, Connecticut. Credit: Aimee Tucker
The family left the house when they moved to Europe in 1891. Given Susy’s sudden death from meningitis in 1896 at the age of 24, and Jean’s death from drowning in 1909 at the age of 29, the Clemens’ time in Hartford came to represent some of their happiest years.
The house became a boys’ school and then an apartment building before being rescued in 1929 by the Friends of Hartford, which established the Mark Twain Memorial and Library Commission to restore the house to its original appearance.
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Named one of the 10 Best Historic Homes in the World by National Geographic, the Mark Twain House in Hartford is today a thriving museum that attracts visitors and Twain fans (not to mention architecture buffs) from all over the world.
Here’s a look at my visit to the Mark Twain House in the summer of 2016. My thanks to Deb Cohen for assisting with my visit, and to Steve Courtney and his book The Loveliest Home That Ever Was for the information in the captions below.
Virtual Tour: The Mark Twain House in Hartford, Connecticut
Welcome to the Mark Twain House & Museum, open daily! Credit: Aimee Tucker
When you arrive, make your way to the museum to take in the exhibits there. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Next to the gift shop is a likeness of Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, made entirely out of Lego pieces. Credit: Aimee Tucker
The gift shop itself is stocked with every Mark Twain book, gift, and memento you can imagine. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Inside the museum center, you’ll learn more about the members of the family who lived in the house, including Sam and Livy Clemens’s daughters, Clara, Susy, and Jean. Credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clara_Jean_Livy_and_Susy_1880s.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>
And, naturally, you’ll learn more about the author himself. This picture was taken just before the family moved into the Farmington Avenue house. Credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMark_Twain_from_American_Portraits.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>
Assuming you’ve purchased a house tour ticket, you’ll make your way to the house itself, located next door to the museum. If you’ve seen any photos of the Clemens family at their home in Hartford, you’ll likely recognize the porch with its painted brickwork. Credit: Aimee Tucker
The Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford, Connecticut. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Getting ready to step inside the Mark Twain House. Credit: Aimee Tucker
As you walk into the entrance hall, your eyes will need a moment to adjust to the darkness. The room is kept dim to mimic how it would have appeared in the late 19th century under the glow of gas lighting. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Iridescent stenciling accented by wooden moldings is everywhere in the entrance hall, giving it a Middle Eastern vibe. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Be sure to look up. The banisters and balustrades were deliberately distorted to make the stairwell appear even more impressive to the visitor’s eye. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Fanning off from the entrance hall are the drawing room, dining room, and library. In contrast to the entrance hall, the drawing room was designed to be a bright and colorful place to receive guests. Credit: Aimee Tucker
This Steinway piano in the drawing room stands in for the original one owned by the Clemenses. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Up next is the dining room (not pictured is a large custom sideboard), which leads into the library. Credit: Aimee Tucker
In the library, darkness descends again but is eased by the sunny conservatory at the back. Credit: Aimee Tucker
A cozy reading chair in front of the fire. The library was considered “the social center of the house.” Credit: Aimee Tucker
This magnificent carved mantelpiece was brought over from Ayton Castle in Scotland. Credit: Aimee Tucker
The sculpture of Eve just outside the conservatory was created by Karl Gerhardt, a German-American artist from Hartford. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Clemens would romp around like an elephant in this conservatory to amuse his daughters. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Another view of the conservatory with its bubbling fountain. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Also on the first floor is the Mahogany Room, which was undergoing meticulous renovations during my visit (it reopened in December 2016). Beyond is a spacious en-suite bathroom that doubled as a dressing room for the Clemens children when they put on plays in the library. Credit: Aimee Tucker
In the master bedroom upstairs is Livy’s desk — the perfect spot to enjoy a cup of tea. I’m particularly fond of the wallpaper in this room, too. Credit: Aimee Tucker
The focal point of the master bedroom is the walnut bed the Clemenses purchased in Venice in 1879. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Clemens in his favorite bed in 1906. He called it “the most comfortable bedstead that ever was, with space enough in it for a family, and carved angels enough surmounting its twisted columns and its headboard and footboard to bring peace to the sleepers, and pleasant dreams.” Credit: Courtesy of the Mark Twain House and Museum
Sam and Livy famously put their pillows at the “wrong” end of the bed, facing the angel-strewn headboard. The often-repeated line is that Clemens “wanted to see what he paid for.” Credit: Aimee Tucker
The angels on the corner of the bed are removable, which made them ideal playthings for the Clemens daughters. You can see they’re worn in spots from so much handling. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Near the master bedroom is a room that originally served as Livy’s personal space for reading and sewing but later became a room for teenaged daughter Susy. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Also on the second floor is the room Clemens referred to as “Ma’s bedroom” in honor of its most frequent long-term occupant, Livy’s widowed mother. The ceiling stencil was reproduced from the original. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Today’s nursery is outfitted with two brass beds, based on Clara Clemens’s memories of her childhood. The whimsical wallpaper, a reproduction of the original, tells the story of an animal wedding. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Ready for afternoon tea in the nursery. Credit: Aimee Tucker
The bathroom connecting the nursery to the study and school room. Credit: Aimee Tucker
The fireplace in the schoolroom, which was originally Clemens’s study. Credit: Aimee Tucker
The Fischer upright piano in the schoolroom was given to the girls for Christmas in 1880. Credit: Aimee Tucker
On the third floor, you can peek into a room that was most frequently occupied by the family’s beloved butler, George Griffin, on evenings when his duties required him to stay late. Credit: Aimee Tucker
There’s also a guest bedroom that Clara and Susy both thought of as “spooky.” Credit: Aimee Tucker
The third floor’s star attraction is the Billiard Room, with its three doors leading out to three balconies. The room served as Clemens’s office and private space; he wrote some of his most famous works, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, at the table in the back corner. Credit: Aimee Tucker
The room was often full of male guests, thick cigar smoke, and sound of clacking billiard balls. This billiard table was a gift to Clemens in 1904. Credit: Aimee Tucker
The third floor also offers another architectural view to admire. Credit: Aimee Tucker
A back staircase returns you to the first floor for a look at the kitchen and pantry. Credit: Aimee Tucker
The kitchen wing was only recently renovated for visitors (until 2003 it housed museum offices). It has been meticulously restored to what might have been there during the Clemens era based on “building archaeology.” For example, this Cyrus Carpenter & Co. coal stove fit a shape visible on the chimney. Credit: Aimee Tucker
The butler’s pantry was where the family’s china, crystal, and silver were kept. Credit: Aimee Tucker
After the house tour, I took a moment to enjoy the sun-dappled exterior with my new knowledge of what lay inside. Credit: Aimee Tucker
The Clemenses were animal lovers, most notably when it came to cats. And wouldn’t you know it, as I was leaving I saw a black cat trotting along the edge of the parking lot. No doubt the Clemens family would approve. Credit: Aimee Tucker
Have you ever visited the Mark Twain House in Hartford, Connecticut? If you want more, check out their 3-D Virtual Tour.
This post was first published in 2017 and has been updated.
Mark Twain House & Museum. 351 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT. 860-247-0998; marktwainhouse.org
Aimee Tucker is Yankee’s senior digital editor. A lifelong New Englander and Yankee contributor since 2010, Aimee has written columns devoted to history, foliage, retro food, and architecture, and regularly shares her experiences in New England travel, home, and gardening. Her most memorable Yankee experiences to date include meeting Stephen King, singing along to a James Taylor Fourth of July concert at Tanglewood, and taking to the skies in the Hood blimp for an open-air tour of the Massachusetts coastline.
I’ve visited the Twain House a couple times, most recently while a high school American Literature teacher. I always enjoyed sharing stories of Twain, his family, and their home with my students. Thanks for bringing back some great memories.
This photo-tour of the Mark Twain House is extraordinary with its many views of personal, family areas. One thing’s missing: photo of the famous fireplace chimney with window built into it.
Excellent! Thank You for sharing! My husband and I love Mark Twain history and stories. The CD “Mark Twain words & music” is also a Great Mark Twain enthusiast 2 CD collection.
Loved seeing this tour. I have two informal pictures of Samuel/Mark that were given to me by a family friend, Mr. Childs, of Norfolk, Connecticut. They are a family treasure and will be passed onto my grandchildren.
could you please let me know the name of the housekeepers during the time frame that they lived in the house. was told a great great aunt was there at one time.
In August 2018 my husband and I took a trip to Connecticut and had the opportunity to go visit the Mark Twain House. My husband loves history which Connecticut has. We both enjoyed the tour and the history. It was great seeing the old photos, rooms and décor. It was great.
We toured the Mark Twain house during a recent visit to Hartford. It was the highlight of our trip. What an amazing man! Twain’s exuberance and love of his family is evident.
Refreshes memories of a great tour a few years ago. Bonus part of this site is chance to visit the home of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Leave Twain house and walk next door to get home and another wonderful narrated tour. Paid a small extra fee to add this tour. Great day in Hartford! Treasured memories.
Great feature Aimee! Thank you!
My pleasure, Deb! Thanks so much for your help scheduling my visit — you have one of the most beautiful and special workplaces in New England! 😉
I’ve visited the Twain House a couple times, most recently while a high school American Literature teacher. I always enjoyed sharing stories of Twain, his family, and their home with my students. Thanks for bringing back some great memories.
what a great tour!!Have always wanted to tour this home and after seeing it on line, must see it in person!!thank you.
This photo-tour of the Mark Twain House is extraordinary with its many views of personal, family areas. One thing’s missing: photo of the famous fireplace chimney with window built into it.
Excellent! Thank You for sharing! My husband and I love Mark Twain history and stories. The CD “Mark Twain words & music” is also a Great Mark Twain enthusiast 2 CD collection.
Loved seeing this tour. I have two informal pictures of Samuel/Mark that were given to me by a family friend, Mr. Childs, of Norfolk, Connecticut. They are a family treasure and will be passed onto my grandchildren.
thank you for tour, not being to walk I would never get to see it in person. Adds more of how it think of him and his family.
could you please let me know the name of the housekeepers during the time frame that they lived in the house. was told a great great aunt was there at one time.
In August 2018 my husband and I took a trip to Connecticut and had the opportunity to go visit the Mark Twain House. My husband loves history which Connecticut has. We both enjoyed the tour and the history. It was great seeing the old photos, rooms and décor. It was great.
We toured the Mark Twain house during a recent visit to Hartford. It was the highlight of our trip. What an amazing man! Twain’s exuberance and love of his family is evident.
Refreshes memories of a great tour a few years ago. Bonus part of this site is chance to visit the home of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Leave Twain house and walk next door to get home and another wonderful narrated tour. Paid a small extra fee to add this tour. Great day in Hartford! Treasured memories.