Quarry Farm To Receive Official New York State “Literary Landmark” Designation

The Staff of the Elmira College Center for Mark Twain Studies is honored to announce that Quarry Farm has received the official designation as a New York State Literary Landmark.

This designation was given by United for Libraries and the Empire State Center for the Book, an affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book, whose mission is to highlight areas of literary heritage and call attention to the importance of books, reading, literacy, and libraries.

The Literary Landmarks Association was founded in 1986 by former Friends of Libraries USA president Frederick G. Ruffner to encourage the dedication of historic literary sites.  Dedications have included homes of famous writers (Tennessee Williams, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, William Faulkner), libraries and museum collections, literary scenes (such as John’s Grill in San Francisco, immortalized by Dashiell Hammett, and Willa Cather’s Prairie near Red Cloud, Nebraska), and even “Grip” the Raven, formerly the pet of Charles Dickens and inspiration to Edgar Allan Poe and now presiding (stuffed) at the Rare Books Department of the Free Library of Philadelphia. The list of dedicated sites continues to grow.

On Wednesday, May 3, a number of events will be held at Quarry Farm to celebrate this distinction, including:

  • 5:00 pm Tours of the grounds of Quarry Farm
  • 6:00 pm The plaque dedication ceremony, followed by light refreshments
  • 7:00 pm A “Trouble Begins” lecture in The Barn

Please join us in celebrating Quarry Farm, a cornerstone in our region’s cultural and historical legacy.  We hope to see you soon.

 

 

About the Empire State Center for the Book – The Empire State Center for the Book is committed to the book in all formats. Interests of the Center include the promotion of the culture of reading, literature, literacy, book arts, and book history throughout New York State. The Center will work with publishers, libraries, museums, educational institutions, scholars, authors, illustrators and other interested parties to enrich book culture for the people of New York. The Center for the Book relies on grants, sponsorships and the contributions of individuals who share the ideals and support the mission of the Center to promote literature, literacy and libraries.

About the National Center for the Book – Starting in 1984, the Center for the Book in the Library began to establish affiliate centers in the 50 states. Today, there is a State Center for the Book in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These Center for the Book affiliates carry out the national Center’s mission in their local areas, sponsor programs that highlight their area’s literary heritage and call attention to the importance of books, reading, literacy and libraries.