Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse

Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse. . Built in 1935 as a memorial to Mark Twain on his 100th birthday, the current lighthouse is the second to be built at this site. , , . 1934 Construction on the Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse began. The metal framework structure, covered with sheet iron and plywood, was completed in less than two months. , . 1935 The 100th birthday of Samuel Langhorne Clemens. The lighthouse was built as a monument to Hannibal’s most beloved son, as a symbol of his years as a riverboat pilot. It is purely ornamental, nestled too far inland to be of any use for river navigation. President Franklin D. Roosevelt lit the beacon from Washington, D.C. by pressing a gold key connected by telegraph lines. Clara Clemens Gabrilowitsch, Mark Twain’s daughter, spoke about her father in a live radio broadcast from Detroit. , ”Hannibal’s plan to flash the continuous light from the top of Cardiff Hill during the year of my father’s centennial is a fine inspiration… What could be more suitable than a bright illumination to remind us that he was born nearly 100 years ago and what place more appropriate than Hannibal to flash this light; Hannibal, the town in which Mark Twain spent most of his boyhood.” , Clara Clemens Gabrilowitsch, 1935 , . 1947 Stone steps with an iron railing were constructed from the bottom of the rock quarry below the lighthouse to the top of the hill. , . 1960 The lighthouse was leveled by a fierce windstorm. , . 1963 The lighthouse was rebuilt, this time with wood and cedar shingles, and re-dedicated with President John F. Kennedy lighting the beacon. Girl and Boy Scouts lined the steps with candles and the flame passed from scout to scout up the hill. , . 1994 A two year renovation revitalized the lighthouse and it was rededicated with President Bill Clinton lighting the beacon. This time Boy and Girl Scouts lit a string of flashlights. , . 2000 The Mark Twain Memorial Bridge changed locations, making it impossible to walk up the steps from the Tom and Huck Statue to the lighthouse. , . 54 Feet Tall , . 200 Feet Above the Mississippi River , . 244 Steps from the Statue to the Lighthouse , (photo captions) , . This photo, taken in 1938, shows visitors on the wooden steps to the lighthouse. , . In 1935, a lighthouse replica was displayed during a parade celebrating Mark Twain’s centennial. , . In 1960, a windstorm with 70-mph winds demolished the structure. , . This photo, taken in 1963, shows the Mark Twain Memorial Bridge approach atop the rocky incline above the statue. , Information and photos provided by Steve Chou, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum, Hannibal History Museum and Hannibal Courier-Post