Robards Mansion in Hannibal, Missouri

While in Hannibal, I stayed at my parent's bed and breakfast called Robards Mansion.  The house was built in 1871 by John Robards, a lifelong friend of Samuel Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain.  Did I mention that it's for sale?  Come join me for a little tour!  Maybe you'd like to run a bed and breakfast!

Mark Twain actually wrote about his friend, John, in his autobiography and visited the house on his last trip to Hannibal in 1902.

The house had already been placed on the National Register of Historic Places before my parents purchased it in 1996.

This is one of the few iron fences in town to escape being melted down for armaments used in World War II.

Welcome to Robards Mansion!  Come on in!

Guests enter through the front door.  Notice one of the many radiators my parents saved during the renovation.

Guests can ascend the stairs to the mezzanine, or the suite, or two other guestrooms.  Or...they can stay in the library like I did!  It's to the left of the front door as you enter the house.

The library has one of the three Italian marble fireplace mantles in the house.  Notice the beautiful tile work in front of the fireplace.

When my Dad pulled up carpeting in this room he discovered beautiful wood floors underneath.

John Robards was a prominent attorney and probably brought some of his work home.  Perhaps he used this desk in the library - or, at least, his secretary did.

Perhaps he spent some time at the bay window studying his legal books.  Most of the nine foot tall windows in the home still have their original interior shutters.

Next door to the library is the dining room.  My Mother literally fills the buffet with a huge breakfast every morning for their guests.

Across the hall from the dining room is what was once the men's parlor.  The men would retire there to smoke their cigars after dinner next to another marble fireplace.

When my Dad removed a dropped ceiling he uncovered this gorgeous plaster medallion.

Through huge pocket doors (that still move easily) you can enter the ladies parlor.  It's across the hall from the library.

This is the third Italian marble fireplace mantle.

With twelve and a half foot ceilings and nine foot windows my Mother has had to use some imagination to fashion drapes!

I'll move upstairs the next time I blog and show more of this huge house (over 8,000 square feet).  

Don't forget - this could be yours!