Tags: literary sites

The Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden is a historic landmark located in the green quadrangle at the center of the Springfield Museums and the Springfield City Library. Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in Springfield, and the city is said to have inspired much of his work. His stepdaughter, sculptor Lark Grey Dimond-Cates, created the bronze sculptures of Dr. Seuss and several of his characters, including Horton, the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch, the Storyteller, and the Lorax.

Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Sunday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Hiram Crissey designed the Greek Revival house in 1836. The property was home to Maxwell Perkins, the editor of Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Thomas Wolfe. In 2004, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Onera Foundation, an organization dedicated to informing and engaging the public about historic preservation and significant architecture in the United States, acquired the property in 2018.

In August 2012, room 222 in the Strater Hotel was designated a literary landmark in honor of Western author Louis L’Amour (1908-1988). For more than ten years, Louis L’Amour spent the month of August writing in room 222, citing the sounds from the Diamond Bell Saloon directly below as inspiration for his writing. Founded in 1887, the Strater Hotel features authentic American Victorian antique furniture and decor. It is home to the Henry Strater Theatre, which features vaudeville performances and other entertainment.

Located in the Union Square neighborhood of San Francisco, John’s Grill was a setting in Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon. In the film, Sam Spade asks the waiter to hurry his order of “chops, baked potato, and sliced tomatoes.” The interior features original period furnishings and authentic memorabilia. In 1997, John’s Grill was declared a National Literary Landmark.