Celebrating Robert Heinlein: A Day to Remember in Butler, Missouri

On Saturday, December 28, 2024, I made what will likely be my final visit to Robert Heinlein’s birthplace in Butler, Missouri. During that visit, I discovered a fascinating piece of Heinleinian history that previously I’d been unaware of: in 1980, Heinlein himself had returned to Butler one last time, accepting the town’s invitation to honour its most famous native son.

Robert A. Heinlein has been one of my favourite science-fiction writers ever since I read Starman Jones, one of his juvenile novels, at the age of 12. Stranger in a Strange Land is his best-known work, but he wrote many other popular and thought-provoking science fiction novels such as Starship Troopers and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. After Starman Jones, I went on to read pretty much everything he ever wrote and enjoyed most of it immensely (except for some of his later novels). Even though I often disagreed with the political or social views expressed in his stories, he was such a wonderful storyteller that I couldn’t help enjoying them, especially his young adult novels such as Have Spacesuit, Will Travel and Citizen of the Galaxy. His later adult novels are much more problematic. But those early novels, his “juveniles”, were a joy to read and, I’m sure, encouraged many young people to pursue careers in science, particularly astronomy and the rapidly developing fields of rocketry and spaceflight.

Gwyneth and I set off for Butler a little after 10:30 on a very foggy morning, with Gwyneth at the wheel and me as her slightly nervous passenger. We had delayed our departure, hoping the fog would lift, but time wasn’t on our side. Butler Public Library, one of the places I was most eager to visit one last time, was closing at 1:30 PM, and we had an hour-long journey ahead of us.

The library boasts a remarkable “Heinlein Room”, a treasure trove for fans of the science fiction writer. Inside is an impressive collection of books by and about Robert Heinlein, as well as some unique memorabilia celebrating his life and legacy.

On this visit, I had my sights set on one particular feature: the cylindrical wood-and-glass cabinet that holds a selection of rare collectables. Among its contents is the exquisitely crafted Virginia Edition, a complete collection of Heinlein’s works and selected correspondence—a set as beautiful as it is costly. This time I would ask if the cabinet could be unlocked. I had always regretted not doing so on my previous visit. I wanted to hold some of those extraordinary volumes in my hands, even for just a few moments.

As we drove, the heavy fog gradually gave way to beautiful blue skies, though pockets of mist lingered along the way. Gwyneth, ever the optimist, was hoping for fog in Butler, thinking it might lend itself to some atmospheric photos of Heinlein’s birthplace. I shared her enthusiasm, but by the time we arrived at Heinlein’s birthplace house, the fog had all but vanished.

Not wanting to waste another moment, we headed directly to the library. With midday approaching, I knew I’d have only around 90 minutes to spend there. We could go back to the birthplace house later in the afternoon.

Next: An Unexpected Discovery at Butler Public Library