As a devoted Mark Twain fan, I've made several pilgrimages to his hometown of Hannibal, Missouri, each visit deepening my admiration for the literary giant.
When I was in the Finger Lakes Region recently and the quiet city of Elmira, it seemed fitting that I should also visit his grave and pay my respects.
After Mark Twain passed away in Connecticut on April 21, 1910, his final resting place was in Elmira's Woodlawn Cemetery, in his family's plot. This decision marked Elmira as a significant place in the history of this legend.
In addition to Twain (Samuel Clemens), the plot also includes the graves of his wife, Olivia Langdon Clemens, all four of their children, and his only grandchild.
Twain's grave, a humble marker bearing his given name (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) and his pen name, is a testament to his modesty.
Nearby is another Twain landmark: his Study.
Susan and Theodore Crane surprised their brother-in-law with this Study in 1874 on a knoll overlooking the Chemung River Valley. They placed the octagon study about 100 yards from the main house at Quarry Farm.
In this octagonal building, Mark Twain wrote significant portions of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Life on the Mississippi, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, The Prince and the Pauper, A Tramp Abroad, and many short pieces.
In 1952, the Mark Twain Study was moved from Quarry Farm to the Elmira College campus.
Parking a short walk away, I passed a statue of Twain, followed the sidewalk along College Avenue/Park Place, and ended up in a lovely park-like area beside a small pond.
The Study, staffed by a trained student guide, is small. The guide was happy to answer my questions and let me look around the small space.
To know he wrote here and created so many legendary books is a thrill for any Twain fan.
For more information about visiting the Finger Lakes Region, click here.
Historical photos courtesy marktwainstudies.com
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