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Learn about Hemingway's home life in Oak Park.

Monday Aug 28, 2006.     By Jessica Herman

Travel + Tourism Feed

Whether or not you walked away from college with a handy English degree in tow, you probably know Ernest Hemingway as a household name. But what many may not know is that the world-renowned, 20th-century author grew up in our own city's backyard, Oak Park.

Located down the street from Oak Park's Hemingway museum is the Hemingway's birthplace. Thanks to numerous photographs and diary notes by Hemingway's sister, Marcelline, the house has been remarkably restored to appear as it did when the young-author-to-be resided there.

Regardless of your opinions about Hemingway or his art, the experience of walking through the home of a historic figure and American hero is awe-inspiring. Take my word for it: This is $7 well spent.

Sign me up: The 90-minute tour costs $7 for adults and $5.50 for kids and seniors, and runs from 1-5 p.m. Sunday through Friday year-round; tours start at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The ticket cost includes admission to the museum, too.

Sites you'll see: Restored in 1992 after the home was bought by the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park, every room of this charming home has been considered with utmost detail (down to the taxidermied "honeymoon owls" from Hemingway's parents' honeymoon that are kept in a glass case in the library). Every wallpapered room is full of stories: the dining room where his maternal grandfather conducted story-telling time; the bedroom where his father kept his collection of animal bones, a hornet's nest and spear heads; and photos of family members in nearly every room. Flash photography is permitted, so pack your camera. Also, be sure to leave time before or after to visit the museum, where you'll find everything from childhood drawings to yearbook pictures and obscure biographical information.

Golden nugget: For those who are familiar with Hemingway's macho reputation, it's particularly amusing to see pictures of him as a young boy. According to the guide, Hemingway's mother dressed he and his older sister like twins, in feminine attire when they were younger and masculine clothing as they got older (until Marcelline's teacher suggested otherwise). The writer-to-be, in his bowl-cut and white frock, is an image that could have made even Hemingway blush.

Who's da guide: Tour guides are volunteer docents with extensive knowledge about and obvious passion for the author's personal history and current scholarly projects underway. The informal tour is fairly unscripted, leaving plenty of room for curious folks to ask questions (especially when you go on off-hour and you're the only guest in the home).

Fuel your tank: Unless you plan to nibble on the plastic blackberries set for breakfast on the kitchen table, don't expect to find anything more than food for thought here. However, the old haunt is located mere blocks from the heart of Oak Park, where coffee shops and cafes abound. For those with a sweet tooth, two of the best ice cream spots in town—homegrown Oberweiss and Ben & Jerry's—are a short walk away.

Snooze-fest or eye-opener: Even if The Sun Also Rises doesn't make your Top Ten Books of All Time list, hearing the history of the writer at the site of his first home will likely inspire you to pick up his work again. If you're a well-studied Hemingway scholar, you're still likely to learn something new.

Even locals will learn: Where Hemingway cultivated his interest in the arts—his mother was an opera singer, the family regularly ventured into the city to see visual and performing arts and the house was packed with great literature.

Check out the website at or call (708) 524-5383 for information. Buy tickets at the door.