Illinois
Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899, in Oak Park, Illinois. While attending Oak Park High School, he worked on the school newspaper and published stories in their literary magazine. He graduated from high school and, in 1918, joined a Red Cross ambulance corps. Assigned to the Italian front, Hemingway's duty was cut short when he returned home after being severely wounded. Following a period of recovery, he accepted a position at local a newspaper and wrote poetry and short stories.
The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park will host several special events for the centennial birthday celebration. Of special interest to literary tourists will be the rededication of the Hemingway Birthplace House, at 339 N. Oak Park Avenue, on July 21. The newly renovated house will be open for tours, and fans will have an opportunity to meet Hemingway family members. Patrick Hemingway, Ernest's son, will be on hand to sign copies of True at First Light, Ernest Hemingway's last posthumous novel.
Michigan
Until he was around 19 years old, Hemingway and his family spent their summers at Walloon Lake, near Petoskey, Michigan. He used the woods and waters of this summer retreat as the setting for his early works, including Nick Adams Stories.
From July 18-25, the Michigan Hemingway Society will host a centennial birthday celebration in honor of Hemingway. The special events will begin with a motorcoach tour which will retrace the route of Hemingway's first automobile road trip from Oak Park, Illinois, to the family's summer retreat at Walloon Lake in 1916. Other events include tours of the Hemingway family cottage, exhibits, and presentations.
Arkansas
Hemingway's second wife, Pauline Pfeiffer, grew up in Piggott, Arkansas. There, in a building behind the family home, the Pfeiffer's son-in-law worked on his manuscript for what became the popular novel A Farewell to Arms. The family property is now owned by Arkansas State University and has been restored, creating the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center. It was named to the National Historic Register in 1982. A grand opening of the restored property is scheduled to coincide with the July birthday celebrations.
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