Beverly Cleary | Born 1916
$362,000 – Portland, Oregon

At a young age, Beverly Cleary already had a fondness for reading stories. For her transition from reader to writer, however, the credit would undoubtedly go to Lucy Fitch Perkins’ The Dutch Twins, a book Cleary read in third grade. Since then, she1111 has become one of – if not – the most beloved author in the literature community today, thanks to her many children’s books and young adult novels.

While her stories may be works of fiction, that doesn’t mean they no longer contain elements of reality. In fact, more than a couple of her works take place in Portland, Oregon, her childhood hometown. Throughout that period, the author lived in a modest home, which recently found its way to the market for a price of $362,000. Along with it being her former abode, the town now also has several landmarks honoring the late writer, one of which is the Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden.