Conneticut Vacation and Travel Ideas for Literary Tours
Thornton Wilder Collection
Hamden Public Library
2901 Dixwell Avenue
Hamden, CT 06518
Website: www.hamdenlibrary.org
Email: On homepage
Phone: (203) 287-2686
Thornton Wilder (1897 - 1975) was an internationally-known playwright, winning three Pulitzer Prizes, including one for his legendary Our Town. The Hamden Public Library is home to Thornton Wilder Hall, where Our Town and many other plays and cultural events are staged year-round, as well as the Thornton Wilder Study, where furniture and memorabilia from Wilder's Deepwood Drive home are on display. The Hamden Historical Society, which shares the same location, contains, the Thornton Wilder collection, including a large selection of works by and about the author.
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Mark Twain House and Museum
351 Farmington Avenue
Hartford, CT 06105
Website: www.marktwainhouse.org
Email: info@marktwainhouse.org
Phone: (860) 247-0998
Mark Twain lived in this idiosyncratic Victorian mansion between 1874 and 1891, producing some of his most famous works here, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Life on the Mississippi, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The interior of the extravagant 19-room home, which was built for Twain and his family, was decorated by Louis Comfort Tiffany and his partners in Associated Artists. The house features a variety of different architectural elements and innovations from the nineteenth century, including a central heating system, flush toilets, and a telephone, which were all considered luxuries at the time. The adjacent museum serves as an interpretive center, providing information about Twain's life and the Gilded Age in which he lived.
Other Twain sites of interest include:
The Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site and Mark Twain State Park in Florida, Missouri. For more information see , visit: http://www.mostateparks.com/twainsite.htm, or call: (573) 565-3449.
The Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal, Missouri. For more information see , visit: http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/, or call: (573) 221-9010.
The Mark Twain Study and Exhibit at Elmira College in Elmira, New York. For more information see , visit: http://www.elmira.edu/academics/distinctive_programs/twain_center/study, or call: (607) 735-1941.
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Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
77 Forest Street
Hartford, CT 06105
Website: http://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org/index_home.shtml
Email: Go to "Contact Us" section of website
Phone (860) 522-9258
Daughter of an abolitionist Congregationalist minister, Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811 - 1896) became one of the most outspoken opponents of slavery in the 19th century. She felt compelled to write her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) after visiting Kentucky and witnessing the evils of slavery first-hand. Stowe researched Uncle Tom's Cabin by interviewing former slaves who had escaped to freedom via the Underground Railroad, and many of the characters in the novel are based on people Stowe had met. The book reached millions as both a novel and a play, and played a critical role in helping Northerners understand the horrors of slavery,
While best known for Uncle Tom's Cabin, Stowe was a prolific writer, with more than 30 books to her credit. In addition to the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, which was built in 1871, this historic site features a visitor center in a converted carriage house, and the Katharine Seymour Day House. The grounds are embellished with a series of Victorian gardens, in recognition of Stowe's avid interest in gardening, including the Antique Rose Garden, the Wildflower Meadow Garden and the Woodland Garden. A library, which is open by appointment only, houses first edition works by Stowe, photographs and other documents relating to her life, and an extensive collection of works relating to the role of women in the 19th century.
Child-friendly tours geared for 5 - 12-year-olds are offered on weekends and during school vacation periods.
Also of interest is the Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information, see , visit: http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/underground/oh1.htm, or call: (513) 751-0651.
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The O'Neill Monte Cristo Cottage
325 Pequot Avenue
New London, CT 06320
Website: http://www.oneilltheatercenter.org/prog/monte/montprog.htm
Email: montecristocottage@oneilltheatercenter.org
Phone: (860) 443-0051 or (860) 443-5378
Home of playwright Eugene O'Neill (1888 - 1953) from his birth until 1917, this 1840s home inspired the set design for O'Neill's autobiographical masterpiece, Long Day's Journey Into Night. On display are an O'Neill portrait and poster gallery, along with a permanent exhibit about O'Neill's life and works. The house was named in honor of O'Neill's father, actor James O'Neill, for his famous role as Edmund Dantes in The Count of Monte Cristo. The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in nearby Waterford CT is home to numerous related programs, including the O'Neill Playwrights Conference, Music Theater Conference, Puppetry Conference, National Theater Institute, and Critics Institute.
Special note: If an O'Neill fan, try to get a hold of his play Long Days Journey Into Night-it describes the Cottage through set directions, and is worthwhile reading before a visit.
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Noah Webster House
227 South Main Street
West Hartford, CT 06107
Website: http://noahwebsterhouse.org/index.html
Email: comments@noahwebsterhouse.org
Phone: (860) 521-5362
Noah Webster (1758 - 1843), lexicographer and patriot, was born in this house in 1758. Today, the home serves as an interpretive center for life in the 18th century, and as a testament to Webster's unique vision and achievements.
Dismayed by the fact that most children in American schools were educated with books published in England, in 1783, Webster wrote his own textbook: A Grammatical Institute of the English Language. The book became popularly known as the Blue-backed Speller, because of the color of the cover. Similarly motivated by a desire to define a uniquely American version of the English language, Webster produced the first American dictionary, an endeavor that would occupy him for over 27 years.
On view in the house are early editions of Webster's Dictionary, along with the Blue-backed Speller, a desk, two clocks, and other items that Webster owned. Interactive exhibits featuring costumed interpreters offer an opportunity to learn how to process flax and card wool.
Youth programs include playing games from 200 years ago; a pretend school where children use quill pens, slates and primers; a town meeting role-play where loyalists v. patriots; and a day in the life of a colonial child. Special note: Programs are numerous and educational, especially for school groups.
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