Indiana Vacation and Travel Ideas for Literary Tours
James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home
528 Lockerbie Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Website: http://www.rileykids.org/museum/index.asp
Email: Rileyhome@rileykids.org
Phone: (317) 631-5885
Known as the "People's Laureate," James Whitcomb Riley's (1849 - 1916) highly accessible poems were extremely popular during his time. He wrote simple, sentimental poems peopled by beloved characters like Little Orphant Annie, The Raggedy Man, and Old Aunt Mary. Riley was also known for pragmatic, straightforward sayings, which continue to be a part of the American vernacular, such as "When I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck."
Riley was a lifelong bachelor who lived at 528 Lockerbie Street as a paying guest for the last 23 years of his life. The home is the country's only late-Victorian site open to the public. On view are Riley's top hat, cane, and writing desk.
Those interested in Riley's life may also want to consider a pilgrimage to his birthplace in Greenfield, Indiana, about 25 miles away. For more information about the home, see , or visit: http://www.greenfieldin.org/about/gallery/riley.htm. A walk through the house includes his top hat, cane and writing desk. Admission is very cheap, and donations are accepted on behalf of Riley's Children Foundation, which raises money for pediatric care.
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Riley Birthplace and Museum
250 West Main Street
Greenfield, IN 46140
Website: http://www.greenfieldin.org/about/gallery/riley.htm
The Riley Home, built in 1850 by Reuben Riley, father of poet James Whitcomb Riley (1849 - 1916), is the birthplace and childhood home of the man who became known as the "People's Laureate." Riley's highly accessible poems were extremely popular during his time. He wrote simple, sentimental poems peopled by beloved characters like Little Orphant Annie, The Raggedy Man, and Old Aunt Mary. Riley was also known for pragmatic, straightforward sayings, which continue to be a part of the American vernacular, such as "When I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck."
Today, the Riley Home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is open to visitors from April through November.
Greenfield is also home to the Riley Festival, which takes place each year during the first weekend of October. One of the largest crafts festivals in Indiana, the fair features live music, flea market booths, a quilt show, and numerous other attractions. For current information about the fair, visit: http://www.rileyfestival.com/.
Those interested in Riley's life may also want to consider a visit to The James Whitcomb Riley Museum home in Indianapolis. For more information about the home, visit: http://www.rileykids.org/museum/index.asp
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General Lew Wallace Study and Museum
501 West Pike Street
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
Website: http://www.ben-hur.com/
Email: study@wico.net
Phone: (765) 362-5769
General Lew Wallace (1827 - 1905) was the author of seven major novels, but his best-known work is by far Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, which he wrote in 1880. The book was the best-selling novel of the 19th century, and was translated into at least 20 different languages. Ben-Hur was the inspiration for a number of other works, including a Broadway play in 1899 and a full-length movie in 1925 starring Ramon Navarro. But it was the 1959 remake of the movie, starring Charlton Heston, and recipient of a record eleven Academy Awards, that ensured that Ben-Hur would never be forgotten.
Wallace had the study constructed as a free-standing building between 1895 and 1898, about fifty yards from his home. The building's design was inspired by a unique mix of architectural styles: Romanesque, Byzantine, and Periclean Greek. Originally, the study was surrounded by a moat, but concerns for the safety of neighborhood children and the structure's foundation necessitated that the moat be filled in. The exterior of the study is adorned with a frieze containing faces from the characters in Wallace's novels, while the interior was designed with a stained and frosted glass skylight and built-in bookcases. Contributing to the structure's exorbitant $30,000 price tag were such technological features as electric and gas lighting, a gas fireplace, coal furnace, running water and a restroom. The museum contains artifacts chronicling every aspect of Wallace's life.
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