Day Six

Hannibal Missouri, America's Home Town

ミズーリ州ハンニバル、アメリカ人の心の古里

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We arrived in Hannibal, Missouri, early evening. We checked in the Best Western Plus on the River. We chose this hotel because it lies on a back hill of the town. We wanted to see the "Old Man River" in its full view directly through our guest rooms. (You have to decide on which side of the hotel you take because the rooms on the hill side don't come with the river view. The rate of river side rooms is somewhat higher.)

After check-in, we took a small rest in our rooms. Then we went out for strolling downtown Hannibal. But most of us were very tired. So we soon went back to the hotel, had a bite on some supermarket deli, and went to sleep early.

Day Six started in the beautiful morning sunshine. After a checkout, we visited the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum. It lies just across from the Best Western Plus on the River. The museum had just opened for the day. A few attendants stood in the front hall, waiting for guests. They all seemed to be retired people. There had been a few groups of visitors, some of whom were asking questions to an attendant. We purchased ticketts, signed on the visitors' book and then began our museum tour.

A view of the parking lot for the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum. The building on the right is the museum itself. The near side of this photo shows its backyard. The concrete garden path leads to the refurbished house of Tom Blackenship, who is said to be the model of Huck Finn. The Mississippi River lies on the far side of the photo. Click on the photo and see it enlarged.

One corner of the museum backyard in the comfortable shades of tree branches. Sitting here, you would want to think back to good old 19th century Hannibal, where boys constantly invented some "bad" plays to get great fun while the grown-ups ran after them for punishment! Click on the photo to enlarge it.

The Mark Twain Boyhood Home on Hill Street, which is part of Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum. The white fense on the right is the replica of that world-famous fense that the mischievous Tom Sawyer talked his friends into whitewashing. He even requested them to give him small rewards for it! Click on the photo for enlargement.

A view of Hill Street. The Mark Twain Home stands on the right-hand side. This street was recently renovated. It is used as the stage for the weekend reenactments of Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher, who local high school students play. Click on the photo for enlargement.

The intersection of Hill and Main Streets. It is Main Street that you see running farther up to the hill on the back. The area around the museum was in the process of renovation and construction workers were working for its betterment. When you walk up Main Street to the foot of the hill, you will see the statues of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn standing side by side. Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Day Six continues to the next page.

六日目は次のページに続きます。