Hannibal, Missouri: This Small Town Was the Best Part of Our Trip

“We’re not a people that have much, but when we can lend a hand, we will” said Frank, the traveling salesman who stopped when he saw our SUV pulled to the side of the road in the hot Missouri sun. We rolled to a rather anticlimactic stop – no loud bang or billowing smoke – as our fuel pump gave out.

“Where are we?” I asked, glancing at our worn - ok mangled - cross-country map.

“You are just a few miles from Hannibal, and you couldn’t have found a nicer spot to get stuck.”

Nice? I am dipping paper towels in to the ice chest to wet down my two long-haired cats that are clearly bemoaning the sudden rise in temperature. No fuel pump, no air conditioning.

Gesturing with his mobile phone outstretched like an index finger, Frank announced he was going to help us. He proceeded to call his uncle, who knew someone who fixed Fords. When that did not work, he called a tow-truck driver (whom he knew by name) and then called a motel to make sure they knew we were on the way. He waited with us in the steamy heat until the tow truck arrived, engaging my husband in chat over the merits of a strong Baptist upbringing and wondering out loud what Episcopalian’s like us were all about.

Then with a cheerful goodbye, Frank was off to his next adventure. Frank, the savior of wayward travelers, ambassador of Missouri, King of the Show-Me State.

Hannibal was not on our planned itinerary that day, but it was a lucky mishap. We spent three days in the warm embrace of this small riverboat town, boyhood home to Samuel Clemens - known to most as Mark Twain. I am drawn to small towns. After years of city life, I love driving through small towns and trying to figure out what it is that people “do” for a living there. There are no ad agencies or sports teams or government jobs or large chain restaurants. City life has a way of blinding me and I have become one of those horrid people that use the words “charming” and “quaint” with a smirk on my face. Still, I am drawn to small towns. 

Mark Twain Attractions: