1885 – 1951

Sinclair Lewis

American writer and playwright (1885–1951)

novelistjournalistplaywrightwriter

Born

1885-02-07, Sauk Centre

Died

1951-01-10

Birthplace state

Minnesota

Biography

Harry Sinclair Lewis was an American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright. In 1930, he became the first author from the United States to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, which was awarded "for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of characters." Lewis wrote six popular novels: Main Street (1920), Babbitt (1922), Arrowsmith (1925), Elmer Gantry (1927), Dodsworth (1929), and It Can't Happen Here (1935).

Occupation

Sinclair Lewis is recorded as a novelist, a journalist, a playwright and a writer, born in Minnesota (1885–1951).

Connections to Minnesota

Sinclair Lewis was born in Sauk Centre, Minnesota in 1885. Explore other notable figures from Minnesota, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Sinclair Lewis came from Sauk Centre. A full Aubrey report on Sauk Centre pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview

An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.

The Land

The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.

Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.

Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.

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Other historical figures born in Minnesota, ranked by historical prominence.

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Frequently asked about Sinclair Lewis

Who was Sinclair Lewis?

Sinclair Lewis was American writer and playwright (1885–1951), born in Minnesota (1885 – 1951).

When and where was Sinclair Lewis born?

Sinclair Lewis was born on 1885-02-07 in Sauk Centre.

When did Sinclair Lewis die?

Sinclair died on 1951-01-10.

What was Sinclair Lewis known for?

Sinclair Lewis is recorded as a novelist, a journalist, a playwright and a writer.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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