VAGABOND TRAVELER

By Mary Emma Allen

Most children (and adults) enjoy Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series of books, as well as the TV series.  Visiting the areas where Laura actually lived as a child, young adult and her author years provides additional enjoyment.  Many of these locations are open to visitors.  Some towns even produce pageants or plays surrounding the Little House years.

Prairie image Credit to sxc.hu

Exploring the areas of the country in outh Dakota, Minnesota and Missouri where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived during her childhood (where many events took place) and adulthood (where she wrote her books) proves fascinating, too, my family and I have discovered.

My husband, daughter and I visited Laura's home in Mansfield, Missouri when Beth was in her teens .  We enjoyed touring this farm and learning more about Laura and her family.  As an author myself, I found it fascinating to explore the place where Laura did much of her writing.

More recently, my husband and I have discovered Laura Ingalls Wilder in South Dakota and nearby Minnesota.  With the publication of Laura's books, starting in 1939, her former homes, the settings of the stories, became popular with tourists…names like Walnut Grove , DeSmet  and Mansfield.   A friend, who lives in eastern South Dakota, said she hadn't read the Little House books until she moved to the area and visited some of the sites.  Then she became caught up in the fascination of the world of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

The television program, Little House on the Prairie , brought more attention to Laura and her books, the area of the country where she lived, as well as the pioneer days of our history.

DeSmet features a pageant each July.  This year, Little House on the Prairie, The Musical , starring Melissa Gilbert as Ma (originally Laura on TV ) will visit Sioux Falls, SD from June 1-6.  For more information on this, go to www.washingtonpavilion.org .

What are your memories and connections to Little House on the Prairie?   Have you visited any of the sites?  Would you like more information on them?

(c)2010 Mary Emma Allen

(Mary Emma Allen writes for children and adults from her multi-generational home in NH and during her travels.  She has begun a memoir of her childhood and growing up on a NYS farm. E-mail: me.allen@juno.com )

For information about Mary Emma click here