Celebrating Twain’s Life in Redding Stormfield & The Mark Twain Library

1. Celebrating Twain’s Life in ReddingStormfield & The Mark Twain Library

2. June 18, 1908 April 21, 1910

3. Albert B. Paine It was through Paine that Twain discovered Redding. During the last four years of Twain's life, Paine became a virtual member of the family. Paine's house was an antique saltbox, which burned down in February 1972, one building remains at the base of Diamond Hill. In the Stormfield Guestbook Sam wrote: “I bought this farm… 2 years ago, on the suggestion of Albert Bigelow Paine, who said its situation and surroundings would content me- a prophecy which came true…I only came to spend the summer, but I shan't go away anymore.”

4. Paine on the porch of Markland, a gift from Sam that Paine used as his study.

5. Paine’s Home on Diamond Hill Road Still standing

6. March 19, 1906 “Mr. Paine spoke to me about a piece of land with an old farm house on it in Redding… $2,000.00 is the price- and when I told Mr. Clemens about it, he closed in with the idea as a good investment, and Mr. Paine has sent off the first $100.00 to bind the bargain. I didn’t think he would want it, because I couldn’t think he would want anything that I want. With an aching heart I reached out for that farm for I don’t ever want to go back to Farmington again. “ ~Isabel Lyon’s Journal

7. May 23, 1907 During the ground breaking ceremony, Isabel, John Howells, Paine, Lounsbury, and several others pour a bottle of whiskey down the first hole dug. Clemens wanted no part in it, he refused even to discuss the subject of new construction. “He won’t allow himself to be informed or consulted; he will pay the bills and that’s all he will do, but when the house is finished then he will go to it… He doesn’t want to see it, or hear anything about it.” ~Isabel’s Journal

8. Call me when it’s done and send me some visitors!!

9. Isabel Receives Lobster Pot Just before Sam’s departure to London, in appreciation for her services, Clemens deeded to Miss Lyon the Lobster Pot. On June 13th, Isabel visited her “dear little home” and found it “Oh…so darling,” and planned to make it “beautiful” in the near future.But Stormfield was first priority and when she discovered it was being built on the wrong spot she quickly halted construction. *Clemens was in London to receive an Oxford degree.

10. The Lobster Pot- Prior to Renovations

11. The Lobster Pot- After Renovations

12. Stormfield project almost halted By mid-July, Clemens returned from London with second thoughts about living so far away from the city. In addition, the site had to be moved for the second time and building plans were in need of alteration to accommodate Clara’s wishes. Architect John Howells advises Twain to continue the project noting: “Arresting work at Redding at this time would probably make you liable for between $10,000 to $15,000.”

13. Stormfield Project Team Architect: John Mead Howells Builders: W. W. Sunderland and his son Philip, of Danbury, Connecticut Assistant Builder: Harry Lounsbury Construction Management & Interior Decoration: Isabel Lyon *Albert B. Paine and Clara Clemens played roles as well.

14. Isabel Lyon during Construction

15. Stormfield Under Construction

16. Isabel’s Managerial Style? Kept ‘em on their toes “The workmen were not slow in learning that the little woman who was likely to appear suddenly in their midst [on] any day, had knowledge, sympathy, tact, taste, and executive ability of a high order. Under her leadership they worked amazingly.” Simultaneously, she was supervising Eugene Adams, who was renovating the Lobster Pot.

17. No Patio View from the Rear of the Lobster Pot after Renovation

18. Lobster Pot’s new back patio

19. Ashcroft Coffee Hammer

20. Construction drew much interest “Twain's great house, in the process of being built, had been a mighty curiosity. Families drove in from miles around on a Sunday or Saturday afternoon to look at it... It was the chief topic of conversation… it was designed…in the style of an Italian Villa, which, to us, meant palace. There were no other palaces around.” “Everyone wondered why the famous old man wanted to build a great mansion in such a lonely, isolated place; the land wasn't good for anything but grazing, and it had hundreds of red cedar trees to prove it was useless.” ~Coley Taylor

21. Redding, Connecticut was a simple farming community in 1910 “Billiards (pool, to the village loafers) was rather frowned upon by the solid citizens of Redding. But one of the biggest rooms in the Twain house was the billiards room!” ~Coley Taylor

22. Redding, Connecticut 1900-1910 Population 1900: 1,426Population 1910: 1,617 +191 180 Visited Twain in 1908 Alone 

23. Mark Twain’s Arrival “On the 18th of June, 1908, at about four in the afternoon we left New York City by an express train that was to make its first stop in Redding that day. With Mr. Clemens were my father, a reporter or two, a photographer and that most fortunate little girl, myself, whose boarding school closed that day so that I, too, was homeward bound to Redding. Waiting for us at the Redding station was a proud array of carriages, flower trimmed, and filled with smiling people who waved warmly. I knew I would never forget it. Mr. Clemens waved in return, then stepped into his own carriage and drove toward the beautiful house that was to be his last home. “ -Louise Paine

24. Platform where he arrived West Redding Station & General Store circa 1920(I used this photo because it included a view of the platform)

25. This side now enclosed How West Redding General Store Looked in 1908

26. Park across the street from the station, likely where people lined up to view the arrival of Clemens.

27. Mark Twain’s Arrival “… as he entered the leafy way [Mark Twain Lane] he said, “This is just the kind of a lane I like,” thus completing his acceptance of everything but the house and the location. Then came the house—simple and severe in its architecture—an Italian villa, such as he had known in Florence, adapted now to American climate and needs. “How beautiful it all is? I did not think it could be as beautiful as this.”

28. How Sam would have seen the house upon his arrival

29. Horse Carriage Twain & Lounsbury

30. “He was taken through the rooms; the great living room- the splendid, glowing billiard-room. Then to the floor above, with its spacious apartments and a continuation of color. When he had seen it all—when he had completed the round and stood again in the billiard-room—his especial domain—once more he said, as a final verdict: “It is a perfect house—perfect, so far as I can see, in every detail. It might have been here always.”

31. Dining Room entrance

32. Dining Room

33. Front Hallway

34. Living Room/Library

35. Twain’s Bedroom Bed oddly positioned so he could look out the window from bed.

36. The most important room in the house

37. “I was never in this beautiful region until yesterday evening. Miss Lyon and the architect built and furnished the house without any help or advice from me, and the result is entirely to my satisfaction. It is charmingly quiet here. The house stands alone, with nothing in sight but woodsy hills and rolling country.” Samuel L. Clemens letter to Dorothy Quick dated June 19, 1908

38. Clemens Redding house was reported on (almost daily) by newspapers and magazines Worldwide.

39. Stormfield had a 100 light system, below is the only other building in Redding that had modern lighting. “Miss Lyon is going to put a couple powerful reflector-lamps in there for night service- the glare will make the place look like a light-house…the house already looks like a factory that’s running overtime to fill rush-orders.” ~Twain letter to Frances Nunnally, Oct. 29, 1908

40. Two 1,000 Gallon Copper Water Tanks in Attic

41. Rear view of Stormfield

42. Clara’s Cage

43. Views of Redding Center from the back terrace

44. Twain thanks Construction Workers from the back terrace Check out the size of the cigars!!

45. The Party Begins! “There were guests that first evening—a small home dinner-party—and so perfect were the appointments and service, that one not knowing would scarcely have imagined it to be the first dinner served in that lovely room. A little later; at the foot of the garden of bay and cedar, neighbors, inspired by Dan Beard, who had recently located near by, set off some fireworks. Clemens stepped out on the terrace and saw rockets climbing through the summer sky to announce his arrival.”

46. The Party Begins! “That first evening closed with billiards—boisterous, triumphant billiards—and when with midnight the day ended and the cues were set in the rack, there was none to say that Mark Twain’s first day in his new home had not been a happy one.”

47. The Party Begins! After that- the visits from his friends & beloved Angel Fish begin and he could not have been more pleased as his letters below show: “Two angel-fishes arrived this afternoon, to stay a week, and we shall have good times.” “How Livy would love this place! How her very soul would steep itself thankfully in this peace, this tranquility, this deep stillness, this dreamy expanse of woodsy hill & valley!“ “It is the most satisfactory house I am acquainted with, & the most satisfactorily situated . . . I have dismissed my stenographer, & have entered upon a holiday whose other end is the cemetery.”

48. The Angel Fish He had a little group of schoolgirl friends whom he called his "Angel Fish." Each one of us was given a small enamel angel fish pin from Bermuda, and each was assigned one of the charming collection of fish pictures which used to hang on the walls of his billiard room. He inscribed each name carefully on the picture. Collectively, we were referred to by him as "Members of the Aquarium." One of the obligations of the membership was to write regularly to the "Curator of the Aquarium." His replies were prompt, and in longhand.~Mark Twain As I Knew Him by Louise Paine Moore