Betsy-Tacy Museum

Literary tourism is a wonderful hobby. It gives you an excuse to travel to far-​flung and little-​visited spots, not to mention buying unusual souvenirs. In the past, it’s motivated me to visit Cambridge, England and Savannah, Georgia. (If you can guess the authors that motivated those trips, you will win a free subscription to my Unilocal reviews.)
So, when my daughter suggested touring the home of the writer of the Betsy-​Tacy books, which we both read and re-​read avidly in our girlhoods, of course the answer was yes. Anyone who’s read these books knows the story of a life-​long friendship between two girls and the realistic depictions of their life growing up in the early 1900’s in a small Midwestern town (Deep Valley in the books, Mankato irl.) Not only does the author accurately depict life at that time, she also describes the emotional dynamics and situations of childhood and adolescence in a timeless way.
Mankato is about 1 ½ hours by car from Minneapolis where I was staying. The drive is lovely, especially in fall: maples and sumac in red and orange, cattails waving in the wind. And when you get to your destination, Betsy’s house right across the street from Tacy’s house, you are rewarded with the sensation that «It’s just like in the books!».
Aside from the sheer pleasure of visiting an actual early-​20^th century home which has been beautifully restored, if you are a fan of Maud Hart Lovelace’s books, you will have the unique opportunity of seeing many of the familiar settings and items described in her books. As with many authors of fiction, Ms. Lovelace was heavily inspired by her own life but adapted details as needed. However, she had a strong devotion to depicting her hometown as authentically as possible and it shows. You will find many familiar landmarks on the map provided by the museum. If you are a Betsy-​Tacy fan, and even if you’re not, it’s worth a trip to Mankato if only to see a lovely Midwestern small town and a beautifully restored home.
Am I over-​enthused because I’m a Betsy-​Tacy fan? If so, let’s just say it’s like «Betsy In Spite of Herself.» If you want to know why, find out more here
and here
.

The childhood home of author Maud Hart Lovelace is the fabulous Betsy-​Tacy Museum. A wonderful literary pilgrimage!