Inside this Hannibal Airbnb full of Mark Twain treasures

HANNIBAL, Mo. – In the heart of Hannibal, Missouri, the town that shaped a young Mark Twain, a quietly remarkable home invites visitors to step into the world of the beloved American storyteller. Inside, more than 1,200 Twain-themed artifacts and treasures await.

Paul Krewson, who splits his time between Hannibal and Columbia, Missouri, owns the property and has shared the experience as a short-term rental for nearly eight years.

“It all didn’t happen overnight,” Krewson told FOX 2 in a recent phone call. “It was constantly just a very slow process that evolved into because I love Mark Twain and I’ve got this pretty much empty house. So I basically created a museum.”

Mark Twain, formally known as Samuel Langhorne Clemens, is best known for his witty prose and timeless tales like “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” novels that explored themes of race, morality and childhood in a pre-Civil War America and helped define American literature.

Paul’s passion for Mark Twain is deeply rooted in his upbringing. He was born and raised in Hannibal, where his father – Jim Krewson Sr. – was a prominent architect and helped him develop a strong appreciation for Mark Twain’s literary craft and legacy.

“He was just a genius and a very generous person and he loved Mark Twain, and he left a lot for the community,” said Paul on his late father. “As I get older, I think about, ‘What am I doing for the community? What am I doing to honor my dad? And what am I doing to honor Mark Twain?’ And so that’s really what gave birth to this.”

The house-turned-museum sits just a few blocks west of the Hannibal lighthouse by the Mississippi Rover and the Old Baptist Cemetery, landmarks once navigated by Twain’s fictional characters Tom Sayer and Huckleberry Finn. Many members of Twain’s real-life family are also buried at the cemetery.

In the course of building a museum, Paul also discovered an unexpected personal connection: He is a very distant relative of Mark Twain. According to a Family Tree document he shared with FOX 2, Paul is distantly related by marriage of Roy Olive Phelps and Clara Minerva Clemens, the latter who descended from Twain’s great grandfather Jeremiah Clemens.

“I feel a connection because growing up, I feel like I played in the same woods he played,” said Paul. “Right by the river. Going out to islands. I just feel like all of his experiences that formed his childhood, I had the same experience as well.”

Inside the home, Paul’s collection of Mark Twain items includes pieces passed down from family, friends and Hannibal community members, along with items he has personally sought through gift shops and online auctions.

The result? An extensive and thoughtfully curated assortment that offers a distinctive lens into the life and legacy of Mark Twain, complete with several rare and notable artifacts. The collection features a wide variety of books, rare photographs, sculptures, coins, original artworks and historical documents.

One of Paul’s most prized possessions is a set of Magic Lantern Slides, believed to include three original color photographs of Twain from 1907–1908. These images, currently undergoing authentication with Kodak, feature Twain sitting with a cat, standing with a pipe, and seated in a chair holding a pipe.

Also of notable historical significance is a handwritten postcard from Twain, dated 1896, shortly after the death of his daughter Susie Clemens. The postcard, verified by a Twain historian, is accompanied by a three-page letter of authenticity and framed images of Twain with Susie and his wife Libby Clemens.

The private museum also features a signed and numbered Norman Rockwell lithograph, ‘Tom and Becky Lost in the Cave,’ which is numbered 52 of 200 and signed by Rockwell himself. It is currently being reframed with museum-quality glass.

More than 20 sculptures surround the home, including notable works from artists Don Wiegand, Gary Price, Bruce Braley, and Sutton Betti.

• Wiegand’s sculpture of Twain writing in bed was created around 1985. Copies were also once given to President Ronald Reagan and the Twain Boyhood Home Museum.
• Price’s sculpture, ‘If Ever the Twain Shall Meet,’ depicts Twain sitting on a bench with Tom and Becky Sawyer on a bench.
• Braley’s cigar sculpture of Twain is a limited edition (just 30 made in 1989) and was originally owned by the foundry’s owner.
• Betti’s contribution is a striking white-patina bust of Twain. It’s one of two ever produced, due to the rarity and complexity of the finish.

The collection has evolved from a personal hobby to a well-curated, historically valuable archive, blending literary, artistic and cultural preservation.

“When people get there, they just can’t believe it,” said Paul. “I mean, it sounds pretty cool, you just have to experience it. See all the history, see all the items and just kind of think what life was like when Mark Twain was alive. That’s what it’s all about.”

Visitors can book an overnight stay through Airbnb or VRBO. The home comfortably hosts four guests with two bedrooms, two beds and one bathroom.