Author Edgar Rice Burroughs was born in Chicago on September 1, 1875, spending the first years of his life in the Windy City before moving to Idaho on his brother’s ranch in 1891. Although he enlisted in the Army upon graduation, he was discharged after Army physicians discovered a heart problem in 1887. Burroughs returned to Chicago in 1904.

Edgar first began having his works of fiction published in 1912 while working as a pencil sharpener wholesaler. It was during this time that he began to really delve into his writing and developed one of his most beloved characters, Tarzan. A few years later, after achieving much success, he purchased a large ranch in California, which he named “Tarzana.”

Learn more:
Read more about Edgar Rice Burroughs life