Maud Hart Lovelace
Maud Hart Lovelace was born in Mankato, Minnesota, in 1892. She began to write stories very early in her life. While a student at the University of Minnesota, she had appendicitis. In order to recuperate, she left school to stay with her aunt in California. While there, she sold her first story – to the Los Angeles Times. She published a number of other books, some co-written with her husband, Delos. He was a reporter who also wrote the novel King Kong, based on the iconic Hollywood movie.
Betsy Tacy Books
Lovelace is most famous for the Betsy-Tacy series of books, which tell the story of her own childhood growing up in Mankato. She lived across the street from her best friend and they had all kinds of adventures together. In the books, she called herself “Betsy” and her friend “Tacy.” (In real life, her friend’s name was Bick.)
The Neighborhood Where The Stories Took Place
Fortunately for fans of the books, the Betsy Tacy Society has turned the homes of Betsy and Tacy into museums, still right across the street from each other. Betsy’s house has been furnished to look like it did when Lovelace was growing up there. Tacy’s house has an amazing collection of artifacts, photographs, and information about Lovelace and her life.
The Highlight
My favorite object at the museum, by far, was Mrs. Ray’s brass bowl. If you read through to book #5 in the series (Heaven to Betsy), you will find out about it there; it’s one of the best moments in literature ever!
The Betsy Tacy homes are right next to each other on Part Two of our Minnesota Author Adventures Trail.
Rebecca Blake Beech
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