Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Hannibal (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Mark Twain Cave, Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, and Rockcliffe Mansion. Also, be sure to include Big River Train Town in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Hannibal (Missouri).
Table of Contents
Mark Twain Cave
Tourist attraction in Hannibal, Missouri. Mark Twain Cave — originally McDowell's Cave — is a show cave located near Hannibal, Missouri. It was named for author Mark Twain whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Clemens lived in Hannibal from 1839 to 1853, age 4 to 17. It is the oldest operating show cave in the state, giving tours continuously since 1886. Along with nearby Cameron Cave, it became a registered National Natural Landmark in 1972, with a citation reading "Exceptionally good examples of the maze type of cavern development." The cave — as "McDougal's Cave" — plays an important role in the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain and was renamed in honor of the author in 1880.[1]
Address: 300 Cave Hollow Rd, 63401 Hannibal
Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum
The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum is located on 206-208 Hill Street, Hannibal, Missouri, on the west bank of the Mississippi River in the United States. It was the home of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as author Mark Twain, from 1844 to 1853. Clemens found the inspiration for many of his stories, including the white picket fence, while living here. It has been open to the public as a museum since 1912, and was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 29, 1962. It is located in the Mark Twain Historic District.[2]
Address: 120 N Main St, 63401-3537 Hannibal
Rockcliffe Mansion
Museum in Hannibal, Missouri. Rockcliffe Mansion is located in Hannibal, Missouri and was built in 1898 by John J. Cruikshank, Jr, a descendant of Scottish immigrants, whose fortune was founded on lumber. He erected the residence on West Bird Street. It came to be acknowledged as the most imposing, beautiful and costly residential structure in that part of the state of Missouri. "By reason of its location on a high, rocky eminence, overlooking the entire city, it termed 'Rock Cliff', and is one of the many attractions of the city invariably viewed by strangers and tourists visiting Hannibal." It is located in the Maple Avenue Historic District.[3]
Address: 1000 Bird St, 63401-3436 Hannibal
Big River Train Town
Museum, Specialty museum
Address: 320 N 3rd St, 63401-3506 Hannibal
Riverview Park
Tourist attraction in Hannibal, Missouri. Riverview Park is a historic prairie style public park located at Hannibal, Marion County, Missouri. It was established in 1909, and built through 1929 according to plans developed by noted landscape architect Ossian C. Simonds. The park includes the caretaker's house, three scenic overlooks with retaining walls, the concrete stairway, the driving path, the logging road, the statue of Mark Twain, and the memorial stone and plaque. The park encircles the 17 acres that form the city's Water Department's facilities.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.[4]
Address: 2000 Harrison Hill Rd, Hannibal
Mount Olivet Memorial Park
Cemetery
Address: 2340 Fulton Ave, 63401-5300 Hannibal
Eighth and Center Streets Baptist Church
Baptist church in Hannibal, Missouri. Eighth and Center Streets Baptist Church is a historic African-American Baptist church located at 722 Center Street in Hannibal, Marion County, Missouri. It was built in 1872, and is a red brick, two-level rectangular Romanesque Revival building measuring approximately 70 feet long by 40 feet wide.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is located in the Central Park Historic District and Maple Avenue Historic District.[5]
United States Post Office
Post office in Hannibal, Missouri. The United States Post Office at Hannibal, Missouri, is a federal building previously used as a post office and as a courthouse. It is also known as the Federal Building or the Naval Reserve Center, and is located at 600 Broadway. The building's architect was Mifflin E. Bell, and it was completed in 1888. The building is an excellent example of a late Second Empire architectural style. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri met in this building until 1960, and the U.S. Circuit Court for that district met here until that court was abolished in 1912. It is now owned by the city.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 as "Federal Building". It is located in the Central Park Historic District.[6]
St. Elizabeth Hospital
Building complex. St. Elizabeth Hospital is a historic hospital complex located at Hannibal, Marion County, Missouri. The complex was built in six stages between 1915 and 1973. The original section was built in 1915, and is a three-story with raised basement, Second Renaissance Revival style rectangular red brick building. It features a Palladian style window, large round arched openings on the 1+1⁄2-story brick portico, and limestone highlights. A sun porch wing was added in 1922 and a chapel wing in 1940.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.[7]
Marion County Courthouse
Courthouse in Hannibal, Missouri. Marion County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located at Hannibal, Marion County, Missouri. It was built in 1901, and is a two-story, rectangular, Classical Revival style limestone building. It features an octagonal drum dome topped by an octagonal lantern towering above the two-story portico with four Corinthian order columns.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.[8]
Hannibal Old Police Station and Jail
Hannibal Old Police Station and Jail, also known a City Hall, is a historic police station and jail located at Hannibal, Marion County, Missouri. It was built in 1878–1879, and is a two-story, eclectic late Victorian style brick building on a granite foundation. It features two octagonal towers of different heights and a complex roof defined by a heavy bracketed cornice.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It is located in the Central Park Historic District.[9]