Mark Twain House

The famous American author, Samuel Clemens (best known as Mark Twain) and I have something in common! We both lived in New York and Connecticut. He is known for book titles such as ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ and ‘Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’.

Elmira, NY

Elmira, NY is the home to Mark Twain’s summer property, Quarry Farm. It perched on the hilltop overlooking Elmira and Chemung River. The house remains there to this day and currently owned by Elmira College. The Center for Mark Twain Studies (CMTS) was also established when Quarry Farm was gifted to Elmira College. Through an application process, the CMTS offers Quarry Farm Fellows for scholars which allows them to reside at Quarry Farm for up to 4 weeks. While it is a private residence, the house is visible from the road. 

Mark Twain’s octagonal study also was donated to the college. It used to be 100 yards from the Quarry Farm where Mark Twain wrote many of his works. The study is on Elmira College’s main campus in downtown Elmira. I grew up passing it often as it is visible from the main street (Park Place). I’ve had several school field trips to the study too. The study is a small octagonal shaped building, it has some Mark Twain’s books on display and historical photos of his life. The study is opened for tour from Memorial Day to Labor Day on Mondays-Fridays 10am-4pm. 

Also on the EC campus there is an exhibit inside Cowles Hall, the building that is right next to the study. The exhibit focuses on his time in Elmira, his family and Elmira College connections. The hours are same as the study touring hours. There is a statue of Mark Twain and his wife, Olivia Langdon on the campus. 

Mark Twain’s family is also buried in Elmira at Woodlawn Cemetery. The family plot can be visited either on your own or the trolley tour. The trolley tour is offered by The Chemung County Historical Society in July and August. The trolley will take you by Quarry Farm, the study and the cemetery as well many other historical sites that is not related to Mark Twain. 

Hartford, CT

Although he spent more time in Elmira, his main residence was in Hartford, Connecticut. The Hartford home currently operates as The Mark Twain House & Museum. It is opened for tours daily 10am-4:30pm, with tickets purchased in advanced. The Victorian Gothic Revival house has 3 floors with 25 rooms. Twain also had Tiffany & Co. to decorate the ceilings and walls in the house, which was beautifully done. The family lived here for 17 years before their financial instability forced them to move to Europe. 

After the family moved, the house was owned by several families. Facing demolition in 1929, a non profit organization focusing on preserving Mark Twain’s memorial purchased the home. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1962. 

I visited the grounds for the first time during summer. I was stunned by the detailing of the beautiful home. Inside was even more stunning. I also learned about the paranormal encounters that some guests have had while touring the home. If you didn’t know, one of Mark Twain’s daughter died in the home from an illness. Ghost Hunters even did an episode at the house one year. The museum hosts Graveyard Shift Ghost Tours during Octobers! I’ll have to return to join this tour in the fall. 

 Virtual Tours

Mark Twain House, Hartford: view here.

Quarry Farm, Elmira: view here.

This blog is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.

Essex, CT

Essex, CT is a small town on the Connecticut River in Middlesex county. Approximately a 40 minutes drive from Mystic, it is a beautiful historical village to stroll around! I only visited it for the first time in 2019 and now I always have to go there a few times every year since! 

Here are some suggestions of what to do in Essex:

Essex Steam Train

For the last decade, I kept hearing about Essex Steam Train especially during the holidays when they have Polar Express themed rides. I haven’t ride on the train yet, but it is on my list to do. They also have dinner trains. Essex Steam Train goes on a 12-miles long scenic ride through the Connecticut River Valley. I only can imagine how beautiful the views are during fall with the foliage! The trains are 1920’s locomotive steam trains, I enjoyed walking around the train station photographing them. 

Main Street/Essex Town Green 

Historic Essex Village is a very walkable main street with shops, businesses, restaurants and more. I admire a lot of beautiful homes that lines the main street. There is a town green that overlooks the water. A beautiful gazebo sits in the middle of the park. Every time I went there during summer or fall, there’s were always people picnicking in the park. 

Olive Oyl’s 

Olive Oyl’s offers various sandwiches and sides. It’s also a fun spot as it is in a restored gas station. There is a lot of memorabilia and signs hanging on the walls. It’s my go-to for a quick bite! 

Griswold Inn 

If you prefer a sit down experience, don’t look any further than Griswold Inn. One of the oldest operating Inn in America since 1776. Back in those days, it was the destination for seafarers as the Connecticut River is right down the street. I loved all the historical tidbits about this Inn, it is full of history! It currently houses a restaurant, tap room and lounging. The interior design nods to the nautical history of the Inn, which I loved! The food is very delicious, a traditional New England cuisine. I’ve had the clam chowder and fish which were good! 

Goods & Curiosities 

The Griswold Inn gift shop is located across the street. Here you will find merch with ‘Gris’ logo, nautical inspired goods, barware/home decor, candles, books and many more. It is a fun shop to poke around. It’s always a must stop whenever I come to Essex. 

Connecticut River Museum

A short walk from Griswold Inn is the Connecticut River Museum housed in a restored 1878 three-story steamboat warehouse. I often travel over the CT River on I-95 (Old Lyme to Old Saybrook) and never realized the rich history of the river. The museum preserved the river’s history with many fishing tools, nautical artifacts, nautical equipment, etc. It also had the ‘Turtle’ which was the first American submarine built in Essex. I loved the wall mural in the staircase, an illustrated map of all the cities along the CT river. The green by the museum has beautiful views of the river! 

Essex Coffee and Tea Company

After a lot of walking around, we needed some coffee right? I popped in Essex Coffee and Tea Company for some drinks. They offer other drinks and pastries. I was able to enjoy some gluten free goodies! The coffee here also tastes amazing!  

Essex was easily added to my favorite CT towns list. I love the spirit of Essex, as you can see the pride of the town during the various seasons. If you go around Independence Day, the whole street will be decked out patriotically with flags everywhere, red/white/blue flowers and displays. The street has a red/white/blue line that is permanent. During fall, they have a main street scarecrow contest and all the pumpkins everywhere! December is always a favorite time when everything is decorated for the holidays. Recently, I fell in love with Daffodil Days during spring in Essex! There’s always something during every season so you never have to wait to go visit Essex! 

Waterford, CT

Happy first day of Spring! We saw some nice spring weather last week. On Friday, my little family hopped onto I-95 to Waterford, CT. It’s only 25 minutes from Mystic. We headed to the beautiful Harkness Park. 

Harkness Park is practically a garden by the sea with a beautiful mansion. The mansion is named Eoila, former summer home of the Harkness family. It sits on 230 acres overlooking the Long Island Sound (hello panoramic views!). The Harkness family owned it until it was gifted to the State of Connecticut in 1950’s. 

Most often photographed spot at Harkness Park.

The mansion has 42 rooms! There are usually tours but I’m not sure if they will be continuing this summer. Many weddings have been hosted there. It makes a gorgeous setting for those photographs! The mansion is available to rent for private parties, luncheons, etc. The contact information is on the website here.

Pretty flowers in the garden by the mansion (note: this was May 2021).

There are plenty of paths to walk around on the grounds, including one that takes you right through the gardens. I feel like I’m in the movie ‘Secret Garden’. The gardens provides insta-worthy backdrops, I used my pup as a model! The flowers really thrive here in late spring and summer. I also love visiting the 110 years old Japanese maple tree, it reminds me of the tree I had in the yard of my childhood home. 

Harkness Park also has a seaside trail, you can enjoy the smell of the salty air while watching ferries go by. This is the perfect spot for picnics! There are tables with BBQ as well as restrooms. The park is so spacious, that many come to fly kites too. It’s really fun to see colorful kites in the sky! The day I went there, there were people reading books, playing catch and kicking soccer balls around. There are spots for fishing down by the waterfront area. 

During summers, they have a small gift shop, the money goes back into the park. The park is opened daily 8am - sunset. There is a parking fee for out of state residents. 

My pup enjoys strolling the grounds with me!

Harkness Park is neighbors to Camp Harkness, a beautiful 102 acres land consisting of beach, playgrounds, cabins/cottages, animals, etc. Camp Harkness is one of very few state parks dedicated for residents with disabilities. There are been several events there, so be sure to watch the website here, if you have a loved one with disabilities. They host an annual deaf picnic there too.

Waterford Beach Park is a beautiful quarter mile long beach located close by Harkness Park. There is a parking lot with a long boardwalk which allows you to trek down to the beach. The views from this beach are worthwhile! Very beautiful and relaxing there. I enjoyed bringing my pup who loves the beach! They allows dogs from September to June on the beach. You can see the Ledge Light in New London from there! Do note that there is a fee for out of state residents to park and lifeguards are on duty from June-Sept. 

Last year, I tried out a new-to-me spot after exploring around Harkness Park one day. Cowlick’s Creamery for some ice cream! They have non-dairy options which is a win-win for me. I enjoyed the Dole pineapple soft serve. They also have a Dole Pineapple Refresher - a drink option with pineapple juice with pineapple soft serve which I’m looking forward to! My pup enjoyed the ‘pup cups’ - vanilla ice cream with a milk bone. They aren’t opened for the season yet however. Last year they opened at end of April so keep that in mind if you visit Waterford after April!

Delicious pineapple soft serve ice cream at Cowlick’s!

My pup enjoying her ice cream and bone!

If you prefer to eat breakfast/lunch, don’t look any further than ‘Where Pigs Fly’ cafe. It is owned by the same folks of ‘Somewhere in Time’ in Mystic. If you know, then you know it’s good! One of the best in the area for breakfast/lunch! 

Waterford is close by New London and Niantic if you want to make a day or weekend out of it. My recommendations for New London is here and Niantic here. Fun fact, did you know that Waterford was named after Waterford, Ireland? The mall, Crystal Mall located in Waterford has chandeliers from Waterford Crystal. I love this tidbit as an Irish gal! You won’t regret visiting this beautiful town on the shoreline!

Gorgeous flowers at Harkness Park (note: this was October 2021).