In Missouri, Following Mark Twain

Samuel Clemens, known to the world as Mark Twain, was born in Florida.  Not the southern state known for catching hurricanes, but a small town in Missouri with the same name.  Clemens was born in this cabin, which is now enclosed by a museum not far from its original location.

The museum also includes this carriage, donated by Clemens's daughter Clara.

This exhibit commemorates the Alonzo Child, a steamship which Clemons piloted at one time.

Here's the museum, called the Mark Twain Memorial Shrine, from the outside.  It's the main attraction of the Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site.

I continued on to Hannibal, where Clemens grew up, and to a park called Lover's Leap, from which I could see most of the city.  This is the view looking northward from there.

I could also see some barges on the Mississippi.

I had little trouble finding a place to park in downtown Hannibal, but anyone traveling by train would have had worse luck.  Unlike what I saw in Fort Madison, Iowa, even the railroad tracks were underwater in Hannibal.  I think the bridge in the background is Interstate 72.

Thanks to some strong levees and working floodgates, most of the city was dry, including Main Street.

Near the north end of Hannibal is the Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse, shot here from the parking lot just below it.

I got the next shot after partially climbing the stairs to the lighthouse.

In case anyone is wondering, I could not get into the lighthouse.  From the area around it, I got this shot of Hannibal looking southward.  The lighthouse is on a hill, along with a bunch of neighboring houses.

After visiting the lighthouse, I found my way onto I-72 and crossed the Mississippi back into Illinois.