Five West Hartford Homes and The Twain Legacy (Scroll down to read the entire article by Steve Courtney)

The range of West Harford homes on the Holiday House tour relays a sense of Hartford history during Mark Twain's era, the era just after it, and -- in one unusual offering high on a windy hillside -- the architecture of today that draws on the grace and style of the great homes of the past. There's also the home of the industrial magnate Gilbert F. Heublein, now lovingly rescued from blight; a house blending Craftsman and Colonial styles that offers comfort and color under the hand of a noted decorator; a glorious Cotswold cottage in West Hartford's West Hill Historic District; a grand home near the Hartford Golf Club that had an award-winning makeover and which all the neighbors cherish; and of course, Mark Twain's grand old mansion, a poem of woodwork, brick and balconies, decorated in holiday splendor.

Visit each West Hartford home, beginning with the Mark Twain House & Museum and enjoy a comfortable day of visiting unique landmarks of the Hartford area. The tour takes about three hours and requires some commuting but all of the houses are within 15 minutes of one another. So have a wonderful holiday experience, courtesy of Mark Twain and Hartford.

Kathy Hayes & John Hanson | 47 Walbridge Rd., W. Hartford
Michael & Tina Guyette | 4 Mohawk Dr., W. Hartford
Tristan Vetter, New Hope Design | 14 West Hill Drive, W. Hartford
Lesa & Bob Laraia | 739 Prospect Ave., W. Hartford
Connie & David Weaver | 56 Old Stone Crossing, W. Hartford
The Mark Twain House & Museum | 351 Farmington Ave., Hartford

The Mark Twain Holiday House Tour is sponsored by The Friends of the Mark Twain House. Proceeds go to the support of The Mark Twain House & Museum.