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Mark Twain called Elmira home for more than twenty summers. He married Olivia Langdon here, and in an octagonal study perched above the valley he wrote much of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Today the study stands on the Elmira College campus, and Twain rests nearby in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Elmira's history has a darker chapter too. During the Civil War a Union prison camp here held more than 12,000 Confederate soldiers, and nearly 3,000 died. John W. Jones, a man who had escaped slavery and helped others flee north on the Underground Railroad, buried them with remarkable care in what is now Woodlawn National Cemetery.
The city in the Chemung River valley also earned the title Soaring Capital of America, thanks to the gliders that ride the winds over Harris Hill. The Arnot Art Museum, the Victorian mansions of the Near Westside, the Clemens Center and the old Eldridge Park Carousel complete a visit.
The small eight-sided study, built for Mark Twain in 1874 at Quarry Farm and moved to the Elmira College campus in 1952, where he wrote much of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Its windows mimic a riverboat pilot house. Open in summer with guides from the college's Center for Mark Twain Studies.
A large Victorian garden cemetery where Mark Twain is buried in the Langdon family plot, marked by a monument two fathoms tall, a nod to his pen name. Visitors often leave pens and pencils at the grave. Maps at the entrance show the way; the grounds are open daily.
Nearly 3,000 Confederate soldiers who died at the Elmira prison camp lie here in graves carefully recorded by sexton John W. Jones, so that almost all are identified by name. A memorial honors both the prisoners and the guards. It is a quiet place for reflection; open daily.
The restored home of John W. Jones, who escaped slavery, helped hundreds of freedom seekers pass through Elmira on the Underground Railroad and buried the Confederate dead with dignity. Exhibits trace his remarkable life and the city's abolitionist network. Hours are seasonal and limited.
Opened in 1913 in the Neoclassical mansion of banker Matthias Arnot, the museum displays his collection of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish paintings alongside 19th-century American art and changing contemporary shows. It is compact and rarely crowded, making it an easy hour downtown.
Set in a former bank building on Water Street, this museum covers the valley's story from Native American settlement and the Erie Railroad era to the Civil War prison camp, with a gallery devoted to Mark Twain's Elmira years. Good first stop before touring the Twain sites.
Atop Harris Hill, this museum holds one of the largest collections of gliders and sailplanes in the world, from wooden pioneers of the 1930s to modern craft, along with a cockpit simulator. Big windows overlook the field where gliders launch. Pair it with a ride on a summer day.
Passenger glider rides launch from the ridge on Harris Hill, where updrafts helped Elmira become the soaring capital of America in the 1930s. A pilot takes you silently above the Chemung Valley for 20 to 30 minutes. Flights depend on weather, so call ahead or arrive early on weekends.
A beautifully restored early 20th-century carousel in Eldridge Park, a historic amusement grounds on the city's north side, with hand-carved horses and a ring machine. Rides cost very little, and the park has a lake, paths and playground. It runs seasonally, mainly on summer days and weekends.
One of the largest concentrations of Victorian homes in New York State, with Queen Anne, Italianate and Second Empire houses built by Elmira's 19th-century merchants. Walk along Church and Water streets to see the finest examples. Look for the house tours sometimes held in December.
Elmira's main performing arts venue, built in 1925 as the Keeney Theatre and named for Samuel Clemens, presents touring Broadway musicals, concerts and family shows. The restored auditorium seats more than 1,600. Check the season calendar and book early for the bigger touring productions.
A small nature center with woodland trails, native wildlife displays and educational programs for families and school groups in the hills near Elmira. Hikes range from short loops to longer forest walks. Call ahead for opening hours of the exhibit building, as trails and programs vary by season.
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Photo: Jayu from Harrisburg, PA, U.S.A., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Jayu from Harrisburg, PA, U.S.A., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: Jayu from Harrisburg, PA, U.S.A., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Jayu from Harrisburg, PA, U.S.A., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Jayu from Harrisburg, PA, U.S.A., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Stilfehler, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Stilfehler, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Stilfehler, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Stilfehler, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
