Literary Landmarks

The Literary Landmarks Association was founded in 1986 by former FOLUSA president Frederick G. Ruffner to encourage the dedication of historic literary sites. The first dedication was at Slip F18 in Bahia Mar, Florida, the anchorage of the Busted Flush, the houseboat home of novelist John D. MacDonald's protagonist Travis McGee.

In 1989, the Literary Landmark project became an official FOLUSA committee.

Dedications have included homes of famous writers (Tennessee Williams, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, William Faulkner), libraries and museum collections, literary scenes (such as John's Grill in San Francisco, immortalized by Dashiell Hammett, and Willa Cather's Prairie near Red Cloud, Nebraska), and even "Grip" the Raven, formerly the pet of Charles Dickens and inspiration to Edgar Allen Poe and now presiding (stuffed) at the Rare Books Department of the Free Library of Philadelphia. The list of dedicated sites continues to grow.

Local Friends groups or State Friends may apply to dedicate a Literary Landmark. When an appropriate landmark is identified, the sponsoring group plans a dedication ceremony and applies to FOLUSA for official recognition. Full details of planning a Literary Landmark dedication can be found on FOLUSA's Fact Sheet #12.