Life on the Mississippi

Hannibal, Missouri, on the banks of the Mississippi River, was host to riverboat travelers from around the world, providing a vigorous and variable atmosphere for the young Samuel Clemens to absorb. Clemens became a riverboat pilot and even chose his pen name Mark Twain from a term boatmen would call out signifying water depth at two fathoms, meaning safe clearance for travel. It was from this bac...