If you don’t know about Hemingway’s house, then you are not alone. There are many more who do not know about it, but it is a fascinating story to behold for sure.
Here, you will get to know 3 incredible facts about Hemingway’s house that might interest you!
Hemingway’s House is the name of the residence of world-famous writer Ernest Hemingway. He was one of the finest writers in the world who touched every emotional aspect of human life.
1. What Is Hemingway’s House?
As the name suggests, it is a house named Ernest Hemingway’s residence and his wife, Pauline Pfeiffer.
First, he was a reporter for The Kansas City Star, then he became an ambulance driver during World War I, after which he became a field journalist.
During his journalism phase of life, he covered Normandy landings and the liberation of Paris. And finally, he settled as a writer. His writing is full of all the experiences which he gained from all these incidents.
Hence, you get the vivid colour of Heroism in his works, inspired by the characters he played in real life.
As his professional life saw different colors, so did his personal life. He married four times, and one of his wives with whom he resided in the Hemingway house was Pauline Pfeiffer.
The Hemingway house is situated on the island of Key West, part of the Florida Keys, one of Florida’s famous islands.
The house is located at 907 Whitehead Street, which is close to the southern coast of Florida.
The original house was built in the 19th Century. Further, the construction of the house started in the year 1848 and finished in the year 1851.
The first highest point of the island is a crematory ground at a height of 18 feet from sea level.
As it is built near the coast to protect the property from sea storms and hurricanes, a limestone wall was built around 18 inches thick.
It is said that this house has survived almost 170 hurricanes that have hit the island since the construction of the Hemingway house because of this limestone wall.
The house became famous as Ernest Hemingway’s residence; he came here in 1931 and lived there for 8 years with his wife.
After Hemingway was separated from his former wife in Paris, his former colleague, who became his wife later, came here.
First, when they saw this house, Pauline announced it was haunted. But soon, they realized the potential of the house, and Pauline requested her uncle to buy them this house as a wedding gift.
It was their hard work that transformed this house into the present-day condition, ideal for living. And till now it is in living conditions.
The modifications include a complete restoration of the house. They removed the ceiling fans and replaced them with beautiful chandeliers. They also transformed the second level of the house into a writing studio.
They had a wonderful time here but were divorced in 1940, and Pauline died in 1951.
After her death in 1961, Ernest also died by committing suicide, and after his death, the Hemmingway house was auctioned by their sons.
2. Why is Hemingway’s House Famous?
At first glance, the Hemingway house looks no different from any other house. But it is the most visited place in Key West, as associated with Ernest Hemingway.
It was here only that he wrote his most famous works, because of which he got recognition on an international level and brought him the highest award – the Nobel Prize.
His writing style reflects all the dimensions of human life. And you can see a clear impression of the roles he played in his real life.
For his excellent work, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1954 for literature.
His writings, written in a tight prose manner, brought him fame and popularity and changed the American writing style.
And that is why it is now a building of public interest and attracts visitors from all over the world.
3. More About Hemingway House
The Hemingway House was made a museum in 1964 by the new owners of the house.
The Hemingway House offers no new or unique showpieces but is a place of interest because of two reasons.
It is firstly associated with Hemingway and displays his writing studio. And the second reason was the Hemingway cats.
These cats are special as they have six toes on each paw instead of five paws. Today, there are almost 40 to 50 cats in the Hemingway house, and half of them are polydactyl.
There is a legend that tries to answer this special availability of these special cats here. According to it, once a ship captain gifted Hemingway with a cat which is a polydactyl cat.
Hemingway named it Snowbell. It is said that these cats are descendants of the same cat, Snowbell, so they have their genes and six toes in the front paws like it.
But there is no certainty in this legend, and many say that this legend has no ground to believe. But no one knows the real reason for the presence of these cats.
The Hemingway House or the Museum opens every day, even on holidays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. And to visit this from the inside, you have to buy a ticket.
The ticket costs $ 14 for adults and $6 for 6 to 12.
You can see every part of the house, including the garden and pool area. But the writing studio or the second level of the Hemingway House is closed to visitors; you can see it only through the screen.
Closing Thoughts
If you are a big fan of Hemingway’s writings, then a visit to the Hemingway House is a must for you.
In Hemingway’s house, you can witness the journey of a legendary novelist who, with his writing style, changed the world of literature forever.
Although his life was not long, it surely was big, big enough to inspire others, big enough to make him a legendary man, and big enough to make him a man of never-tiring will.
