Readers from all over the world have fond recollections from the Little House on the Prairie book series, which vividly portrays the challenges and adventures of the frontier.
Written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, the semi-autobiographical collection of nine books chronicles her early years to her married life. This includes the Ingalls family’s travels, struggles, and daily life through her eyes.
Five of the nine books take place in De Smet, where they moved to in the fall of 1879 and spent their first South Dakota winter in the Surveyor’s House (highlighted in By the Shores of Silver Lake). The family eventually settled in the Original Ingalls Home built by Charles, or “Pa.”
Visitors can literally step inside history with the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Homes tours, thanks to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society.
ADD TO QUEUE
Stream the reimagined adaptation of Little House on the Prairie on Netflix, available July 9.
“Within weeks of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s passing in 1957, Alice Kirchmeier, Aubrey Sherwood, and Vera McCaskell founded the society in dedication to preserve and restore Ingalls Wilder heritage,” said executive director Mary Jo Wertz.
Starting out with memorial plaques, the Society grew into the refurbished Surveyor’s House and “the house that Pa built,” along with the original First School of De Smet and a growing collection of Ingalls Wilder artifacts.
Thousands of tourists began coming to De Smet to tour the homes, school, and Exhibition Room to relive Little House firsthand.
“Some of the sweetest memories I have regarding the actual artifacts we hold involve the pantry of the Surveyors’ House,” said Wertz. “I can almost hear 12-year-old Laura squeal with delight at the sight of the food. I can picture Mary braiding rugs while sitting in the rocking chair. I love that there are still chalk drawings on the original blackboard of the First School, and I cherish the cozy home Pa built where the family finally settled.”
She continued, “All of these pieces connect me with a friend I’ve never met.”
“THESE ARE REAL STORIES ABOUT A REAL GIRL. SHE TRULY DID SCRUB THE SURVEYOR’S HOUSE FLOOR ALONGSIDE HER MOTHER. SHE PLAYED THERE, ATE THERE, AND DREAMED THERE.”
MARY JO WERTZ
UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE SOCIETY
July 18 | Special Guests Cindy Wilson & Barbara Boustead Authors of The Beautiful Snow and Wilder Weather, who will discuss The Long Winter.
July 25 | A Day with Laura Actress Jessica Michna portrays an elderly Laura. The day will also feature pioneer demonstrations, including soap making, barbed-wire making, shoe making, and more.
The Society has welcomed visitors from all 50 states and 38 countries. Wertz says they have seen guests from every country in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and a few from Africa.
In the summer, tour guides wear period dress, and it’s not uncommon for guests to dive into the pioneer spirit themselves. Some simply wear bonnets while others look like they stepped right out of the 19th-century prairie.
The Discovery Center is open June through August and is a space for non-digital play. Children can dress up in prairie costumes, play house with a cast-iron stove, pretend to do the wash, and “attend” school.
“They can learn about hunting and animal tracks, touch real animal furs, practice writing with a stencil just as Mary did, use an old-fashioned sewing machine, and truly let their imaginations run wild,” said Wertz.
New this year is the First Families of De Smet, which preserves the legacy of early settlers who shaped the town. The exhibit was the brainchild of one of the Society’s interns, Grace Schaefer, who worked on it for two summers. Volunteers Cheryl Palmlund, Eric Fairchild, and Cindy Wilson brought her vision to life.
“Each display case features a founding member of De Smet mentioned in Laura’s books,” said Wertz. “As an unexpected addition, we also have a number of postcards belonging to Carrie Ingalls, written to her by family and neighbors.”
Someone in Deadwood contacted the Society about the cards after discovering them in a paper bag at an antique mall, and Wertz says they were thrilled to acquire them for the exhibit.
As a “community-rooted” non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, efforts like the new exhibit are made possible through the work of local volunteers and the gifts from Laura’s readers from around the world.
“I can’t speak for everyone, but I think readers are so loyal because Laura wasn’t just a character; she was a real person living real events,” said Wertz. “You remember when and where you first read them until they become a part of you. It’s deeply personal.”
Donations can be made on their website or by shopping at the Gift Shop. Along with general operations, funds help immediate needs like foundation repair for the Surveyor’s House, educational supplies for school friend trips and summer programs, humidity control improvements for artifacts, and more.
“There are memories from reading the ‘Little House’ series that stay with me forever—Pa wanting to be far away from neighbors, or Ma slapping the bear.”
MARY JO WERTZ
MAKE IT A TRIP!
The Society suggests what to do in De Smet:
- Explore the original Ingalls family homes and school with the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society.
- Start at Pa’s Cottonwood Trees on The Society’s portion of the homestead.
- Visit the De Smet Cemetery where the Ingalls family is buried.
- Walk the trail leading to Silver Lake.
- Stop by the Depot Museum for a history of the railroad.
- Shop at the Loftus Store.
- Take a wagon ride at the Ingalls Homestead.
- If you are in town the last three weekends in July, attend the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant and have some BBQ.
“Protecting buildings of this age is our greatest responsibility,” said Wertz. “Because we are locally supported, their care relies on our visitors, our gift shop, and the generosity of those who believe Laura’s story deserves authentic stewardship.”
History, she continues, is vital to preserve. And Laura’s history is “everyman’s history,” which makes it unique.
“It’s the story of the people who brought us into the 20th century with grit and grace,” said Wertz. “These were the parents and grandparents of the Greatest Generation. The same blood and grit running through their veins is in ours as well. Every generation faces trials; learning how our ancestors overcame theirs is essential in our own troubled world.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT DISCOVERLAURA.ORG+
