My District: Is Home to the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum.

• Author: Caley, Nora

Visitors to the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum can see one of the writer's white jackets, his typewriter and first editions of his major works. But the museum, located in Hannibal, Mo., does more than house literary artifacts. Its mission is to promote awareness and appreciation of the author's life and works, and to demonstrate their relevance to the world.

Born Nov. 30, 1835, Samuel L. Clemens worked as a typesetter, riverboat pilot and miner before taking the pen name Mark Twain and writing for newspapers. He wrote essays, travel narratives and novels, including "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," published in 1876 and 1885, respectively. He won patents for three inventions and traveled the world. He died in 1910.

Twain is the ultimate gift that keeps on giving! --Missouri Rep. Louis Riggs

The Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum properties consist of five historic buildings, including the Clemens home; the Becky Thatcher House, which was the home of the Hawkins family (Laura Hawkins was the inspiration for Becky Thatcher in "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"); the John M. Clemens Justice of the Peace Office, the building used by Twain's father when he worked as a judge); Grant's Drug Store, outfitted as a period pharmacy; and the Huckleberry Finn House, a re-creation of the home of the boy who is thought to have inspired the famous character.

There is also a gallery housing 15 paintings Norman Rockwell created for special editions of Twain's books. The museum offers workshops for teachers, hosts the "Music Under the Stars" free concert series, and runs the Tom and Becky Program, a contest in which seventh graders portray Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher.

Rep. Louis Riggs (R) is an attorney and former educator at Hannibal-LaGrange University whose District 5 includes Hannibal. We caught up with him to ask about the importance to his community of all things Mark Twain.

What does the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum mean for your district?

The museum is the focal point of our substantial and growing tourist economy. It is a national treasure and is visited by Twain readers and fans from across the world. Twain embargoed his autobiography until 100 years after his death in 1910. When released literally a century later, all three volumes made it to The New York Times bestseller list. Twain is the ultimate gift that keeps on giving!

Have you been to the museum? What is your favorite part?

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