Part 2 of a two part series celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Thurber House: Artzine takes a look back at its beginnings and finds out how this condemned property became one of the nation’s most treasured literary centers.

“It’s wonderful to have come up for a prize for this sort of thing because it needs to be encouraged,” said Joe Keenan, winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor in 2006.

Other Thurber events (besides prize ceremonies) attract people from all over.

“There are devoted followers worldwide,” said Paul Watkins, Thurber House trustee emeritus.

Thurber House provides writing programs for kids and teens, as well as community outreach.

“They’re a great neighbor  in the discovery district,” said Nannette Maciejunes, executive director of the Columbus Museum of Art.

The Thurber House is the only non-profit literary center in the country with year-round programing for children and adults.

What does the future hold for the Thurber House?

“It is tough out there, and I believe that it’s likely to only get tougher. But, at the same time, we ignore at our peril that which in our community not only serves immediate needs, but serves the need for continuity, for heritage, for history, and for the human spirit, all of which the Thurber House contains and manifests in its work,” said Doug Kridler, president of the Columbus Foundation.

Happy anniversary Thurber House.

“Well, it was almost a disaster inside,” said Norm Spain, Thurber House trustee emeritus.

Apparently, the city wanted to tear it down, but it was spared when it got placed on the national register of historical places.

All told, it cost about a quarter of a million dollars to restore the house, and it came in small increments.

The doors to the Thurber House were opened for the first time in 1984 with the goal of reaching out to the literary public, establishing a writer in residence program.

“There’s just something so great about actually being hear, ” said author Jennifer Crusie, among “the ghosts.”

“The Thurber House’s work is just vital when it comes to nurturing humor writers,” said Alan Zweibel, winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor in 2007.

Watch more: Thurber House – Part 2

Erin reads from her latest novel, “The Seamstress of Hollywood Boulevard,” and Andrew reads from two books of poetry, “Shut Up You’re Fine: Instructive Poetry for Very, Very Bad Children,” and “American Rendering: New and Selected Poems” (to be published in 2010).

The memoir reveals the painful truth not only of growing up with such literary luminaries as Norman Mailer and Thornton Wilder as family friends, but of a mother-daughter relationship torn apart because of alcoholism. Jones and her family live in New York City.

As in all of her books, she brings us an utterly engrossing story and characters who resonate with readers of all ages. She is the author of ten books including the iconic The Good Mother, Inventing the Abbotts, and the Oprah Book Club pick, the bestselling While I Was Gone. She lives in Boston.