Humble Beginnings

At the height of his prosperity, Mark Twain lived in a mansion, but he started life in a tiny backwoods cabin. He was born in the village of Florida, Missouri, where his family had settled in the 1830s after moving to the area from Jamestown, Tennessee. In later years Twain used to say that little Florida had 100 people. It has nine now, according to the 2000 census.

  

At a state park not far from the original site of Twain's birthplace, there is a small museum housing the cabin. In old age Twain was amused by rumors about the cabin's fate. When told it was for sale, he responded, "It is about time it was. It has been burned down four times."