Sam Clemens grew up in Hannibal, Missouri. We all know that. Those years provided fodder for his future works of fiction and shaped a good part of his character (and maybe the bad parts, too). We know that, too. Sam Clemens in 1850 During his life, Clemens related many happy memories of
Hannibal draws a lot of tourists eager to step into the world created by Mark Twain, which is a remarkable thing considering he wrote about a world that existed (more or less) 150 years ago. Hannibal has a lot of Twain to offer, but it's also an old river town worth getting to know on its own merits.
If your budget is tight this year and your dream trip to Venice is on hold, now is a great time to hit the road to get reacquainted with the history and culture of the Mississippi Valley. And what could be more fun than visiting festivals along the river that mix history and culture with
Population (2010) 10,780 Introduction Keokuk is a fascinating place. Once an important river town and bustling community, Keokuk today is striding the line between obscurity and irrelevance. What happened? Visitor Information The Keokuk Area Convention & Tourism Bureau (428 Main St.; 319.524.5599) can help with
Population (2010) 22,886 Introduction After 43 miles of flowing from east to west, the Mississippi takes a sharp turn at Muscatine and resumes its mostly southward trek to the Gulf of Mexico. Muscatine was a busy industrial town for decades and still has its share of manufacturing, but many
Scene at National Tom Sawyer Days in Hannibal, MO (photo taken July 4, 2014). See more photos here. Fence painting contest at National Tom Sawyer Days; Hannibal, MO
