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All the United States California Sonora Mark Twain's Cabin

Mark Twain's Cabin

Where the writer penned his famous story about a jumping frog.

Sonora, California

Added By
Martin Schmidt
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Mark Twain’s cabin.   Martin / Atlas Obscura User
The cabin’s spartan interior.   Martin / Atlas Obscura User
Plaque   Sorrel / Atlas Obscura User
The marker placed next to the cabin by the Sonora Sunrise Rotary, who restored the cabin in 2005.   Martin / Atlas Obscura User
Cabin   Sorrel / Atlas Obscura User
A young Mark Twain sat by this fireplace and wrote the story of the Jumping Frog.   Martin / Atlas Obscura User
While the rest of the cabin is a replica built in 1922, the fireplace and chimney are part of the original structure.   Martin / Atlas Obscura User
The historical marker on Highway 49 near the turnoff to Jackass Hill Road.   Martin / Atlas Obscura User
Mark Twain’s cabin.   Martin / Atlas Obscura User
Plaque   Sorrel / Atlas Obscura User
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About

On December 4, 1864, Samuel Langhorne Clemens—better known today as Mark Twain—arrived at this small cabin on Jackass Hill Road near Angels Camp, California, to stay with local miners Jim and Steve Gillis. At the age of 30, he had already been first a riverboat pilot and then a miner himself, and having failed at the latter profession he had decided to try his hand at journalism.

While staying at the Gillis brothers' cabin, one day Clemens went to a saloon in Angels Camp where he heard a story about a jumping frog. Clemens took notes, wrote the story down in his own style and published it as "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" under the name Mark Twain, thus beginning in earnest his career as a writer.

The cabin that stands on the site today is a replica, built in 1922, but the fireplace and chimney are original. As you look through the open doorway it is easy to imagine young Sam Clemens writing his story by the fireplace.

Related Tags

Literature Names Writers History

Know Before You Go

From the intersection of Highway 49 and Highway 4 in downtown Angels Camp, drive south on Highway 49 for 7.8 miles (12.5 km). A stone marker will be on the right, and just past that on the left is the turnoff to Jackass Hill Road. The cabin is 0.75 miles (1.2 km) from the highway.

Community Contributors

Added By

Martin

Edited By

sallyknornschild, Sorrel

  • sallyknornschild
  • Sorrel

Published

June 16, 2017

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  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Twain
  • Historical markers at the site
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Twain
  • Historical markers at site
  • Gillis family
Mark Twain's Cabin
20777 Jackass Hill Rd
Sonora, California
United States
37.999304, -120.476943
Get Directions

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