The Lobster Pot Studio was built on the original
Mark Twain property in 1998. It was lovingly designed by the
artist and today functions as an active studio and gallery,
offering seasonal shows.
The artist lives with her husband and beloved pets, on the
site of the old saltbox and draws great inspiration by the
property's extensive formal walled gardens, patios and surrounding
160 acres of Stormfield open space.
Circa 1908 (above left)
Isabel and her Mother in front of The Lobster Pot, and
Isabel (seating in forground) in the back of The Lobster
Pot showing the original stone patio. (Photo courtsey
of the Wayland Family)
Isabel Lyon, Mark Twain and Ralph
Ashcroft at Stormfield, 1908
The Lobster Pot rear view showing
patio, 1908
History of the "Lobster Pot"
The world famous writer and humorist, Mark Twain, (aka Samuel
Clemens), bought the Lobster Pot, located in Redding, Connecticut,
in 1906. He called it the Lobster Pot, because the 1720 antique
saltbox, was a destination for the Angel Fish Club.
In 1907 Twain gave The Lobster Pot to Isabel Lyons, his secretary,
household manager and companion as a Christmas gift. Twain
also lent her money to fix it up...an issue that later would
lead to Twains writing the Ashcroft-Lyon Manuscript.
This 429 page manuscript, one of his last major writings and
was published in 2015, for the first time, in the final Volume
3 of his Autobiography.
Twain built an Italianate mansion on the acreage which he
called Stormfield. This was his last home. After Isabel Lyon
left, he lived there with his daughter Jean, and together
they founded the Mark Twain Library, which he dedicated to
her after her tragic death. Twain died at Stormfield
in 1910