We visited this home in early July 1996. All the pics are "thumbnails" which you can click on to greatly enlarge.

The Mark Twain House

 

 

Entrance.jpg
Entrance.jpg

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Samuel Clemens bought some land outside Hartford, Connecticut in 1873. The home was designed to take advantage of the natural landscape and views. It now sits in a somewhat busy neighborhood.

Outside.jpg
Outside.jpg

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A spectacular shot of the main facade... "sticks and brick." Designed by Edward Tuckerman Potter, it was mostly built in 1874 and added on to in 1881.

Brickwork.jpg
Brickwork.jpg

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Very ornate brickwork is everywhere. Many of the bricks are painted forming a variety of patterns. Inside, the detailing is equally fine… doorknobs, trims, all of it.

FirstFloor.jpg
FirstFloor.jpg

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Floorplan to orient for the next row of photos take a look at this (once loaded you can come back here and it should come up rather quickly). The odd shaped "hook-like" wing was added later as servants quarters.

FoyerStairs.jpg
FoyerStairs.jpg

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The most amazing carved wooden foyer/entrance one will see (the front door is off the picture to the left, and the drawing room is behind the camera). The stairs wind up 3 stories.

DrawingRoom.jpg
DrawingRoom.jpg

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The large mirror was a wedding gift and was brought from their earlier home in Buffalo. Most furnishings are original.

DiningRoom.jpg
DiningRoom.jpg

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The dining room has rich, embossed paper and walnut paneling. The glasswork around the fireplace (not seen here) was designed by Tiffany.


Library1.jpg

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The most spectacular room in the house, and opens onto a glorious conservatory. It's a big download, but scroll around and look at the detail. Behind the camera is the next library picture below.
 

Library2.jpg
Library2.jpg

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A huge carved mantle piece imported from Scotland and adapted to fit this room.

SecondFloor.jpg
SecondFloor.jpg

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There are many rooms up here… only one in the next photograph. Not included here are the "school room," nursery and another bedroom for the mother-in-law.

MasterBedroom.jpg
MasterBedroom.jpg

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The master bedroom with huge carved bed. It is roughly over the entrance and has a line from the gas lamp to a remote bed light!

BilliardRoom.jpg
BilliardRoom.jpg

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The billiard room is on the 3rd floor (but I can't find the floorplan of the top level); it is also a bit of a den. There are two balconies.

 

 

 

 

One is not allowed to take photographs inside the house. These are from a souvenir book. Are they legal? Probably not. Make a point to visit the place if you are ever through central Connecticut. It takes just an hour or two to see everything.

I recently discovered an official site for this house at http://www.marktwainhouse.org/. Check it out! [March 2001]

 

 

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