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The Mark Twain Boyhood Home
The frame house, known as the Mark Twain Boyhood Home, was constructed about 1843 or 1844. The Clemens family lived here until leaving town in 1853. Following their departure, this became a rental property. In 1911 it was scheduled for demolition to make way for a larger building.
The Hannibal Commercial Club (forerunner to the Chamber of Commerce) started a fund drive to save the house. Mr. George Mahan stepped forward, purchased the house, fixed it up, and gave it to the City of Hannibal on May 15, 1912. For several years, a caretaker lived in most of the rooms and showed the parlor to the public.
1935, the Mark Twain Centennial celebration included a museum in the lobby of the B&L Building, at Fourth and Broadway. The museum was popular and led to the erection of the stone museum adjacent to the Boyhood Home. This museum included living quarters above the museum, so the caretaker moved out of the Boyhood Home. The remaining rooms of the home were then opened to the public.
The metal viewing platform was installed over the winter of 1984-1985 in preparation for the Mark Twain Sesquicentennial. A full restoration of the Boyhood Home occurred in 1990-1991. This included rebuilding two rooms at the rear that had been removed in about 1885.
The Boyhood Home has been open to the public since 1912, making it one of the earliest historic preservations in the country. It is on the National Register of Historic Buildings and is designated as a National Historic Landmark.