Just to update everyone on the efforts over here in Redding. Below is a
press release that went out to all the papers in Connecticut this week.
Making connections has been a lot of fun and hopefully I get a positive
response from historical societies and town historians via this release and
find connections all over the State.

I've had the best luck with making connection using the Mark Twain Project's
letter search feature. That site is pure gold! I'd bet many States, towns,
cities could make connections too. If anyone hears of similar projects
please let me know and I'll link to them.



Does Your Town Have a Twain Connection?
Redding Historian Brent M. Colley Wants to Know

April 21, 2010 marks the Centennial of Mark Twain's passing and provides the
residents of Connecticut with a great opportunity to showcase and celebrate
Twain's life in Hartford and Redding, Connecticut throughout the year 2010.

Mark Twain (a.k.a. Samuel L. Clemens) called a number of places home over
the course of his lifetime, however, his years in Connecticut came during
very significant periods in his life. These years and the people and places
that occupied them are the focus of a very special program Redding Historian
Brent M. Colley is working on for 2010.

Having partnered with The Mark Twain Library and Artist Susan Durkee, Mr.
Colley is currently securing funding in an effort to place exhibits in every
public library and/or public place that wants to be a part of this
celebration. The exhibits will include artwork, photos and information
brochures about Twain's life, his work and his friends in Connecticut. These
Exhibits will be free to the public and free to the libraries and public
places that display them.

"The most exciting feature in this project, to me, is the opportunity to
explore the Friends of Twain and make connections to Twain in towns & cities
across Connecticut. To date I've been amazed at the number of people and
towns connected to his life and I cannot wait to make others aware of these
people and their accomplishments." Said Mr. Colley in a recent interview.

Current connections are:

Easton, Connecticut- Helen Keller

Bethel & Bridgeport, Connecticut- P.T. Barnum

Danbury, Connecticut- Twain had a cat named Danbury and the builders of
Stormfield were from Danbury

Ridgefield, Connecticut- Cass Gilbert who owned the Keeler Tavern and the
Knox family who visited Twain a number of times at Stormfield

Westport, Connecticut- Ned Wakeman, who was the prototype for Twain's ship
captain in Roughing It.

Saybrook , Connecticut- Fenwick (Hall) Hotel where Twain and family stayed
and where some believe he began writing Tom Sawyer

New Haven, Connecticut- Twain visited New Haven in 1885 and befriended
Warren McGuinn, an African-American student who was struggling to remain in
school. Twain paid the young man's expenses at Yale and McGuinn went on to
become a respected lawyer who would later mentor Supreme Court Justice
Thurgood Marshall.

Hartford, Connecticut- Obviously the Hartford area has many friends and the
Mark Twain House Museum would be a grand showcase for these exhibits.

Vernon, East Hartford, Buckland, Vernon, Tolland, Westford, Ashford, North
Ashford, West Woodstock, and New Boston, Connecticut- Joe Twichell and Twain
made an amazing trek from Hartford to Boston in 1874.

Mr. Colley feels that merging information about Twain with information about
the "Friends of Twain" in the exhibits of each town and city that has a
Twain Connection is a great way to promote town pride and Connecticut
tourism in the future.

"This project's objective is to promote and raise awareness of Clemens' time
in Hartford and Redding, Connecticut. If we can do the same for the towns
and cities connected with Twain that would be an amazing and welcomed bonus.
I want to work with local historians and local historical societies to help
promote their resources and efforts. Making Connecticut a destination for
Twain research is my ultimate goal."

Towns and Historians that would like to assist Brent in his efforts can
contact him at 860-364-7475 or [log in to unmask]

Businesses and Individuals that would like to sponsor these exhibits can
forward their tax deductible contributions to:


Mark Twain Library
P.O. Box 1009
Redding, Connecticut 06875
Attn: The Mark Twain Centennial Project

Further information on the project is available at:
http://www.twainproject.blogspot.com