The house built for John Hooker and his wife, Isabella Beecher Hooker, was designed by Octavius Jordon. The main house was completed in 1853, and an addition was added in 1863. One of Sam Clemens's first visits was to accompany Olivia Langdon to Alice Hooker's wedding to John Day. Oliva was Alice's bridesmaid, and the two remained good friends all their lives. Alice Hooker Day's daughter and Isabella Beecher Hooker's granddaughter, Katherine Day, became a major force in the preservation of the neighborhood in later years. The Hooker house was leased to Mark Twain in 1871 to 1874. Sam and Livy's only son, Langdon, died in the Hooker house. After a year of careful thought, Sam Clemens purchased a desirable site to build his own house for $20,000. The Clemens home had 19 large rooms and five baths. The Hooker house still stands and has been divided into apartments.

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