I’ve loved the Laura Ingalls Wilder “Little House” books since I was in third grade and read “Little House in the Big Woods.” From the moment I read about Laura playing with her sister Mary up in their attic, which was filled with food from their garden, I was hooked. So several years ago when my daughter was also into Little House, we took a trip through several states to visit the Laura Ingalls homesites here in the Midwest.
I even wrote a guidebook filled with info to help you plan your own Little House trip. Find it here!
All of the homesites (except the Ingalls Homestead in De Smet) are nonprofit and run mostly by volunteers. Each one does an amazing job at keeping Laura’s memory alive. When I was writing the guidebook, I tried to stick to the facts and rarely expressed my opinions about the homesites. I believe each site is worthy of a visit from Laura fans.
But of course for various reasons, we enjoyed some homesites more than others. Here’s how I rank the Laura Ingalls Wilder homesite towns, based on our visit to each location. I’ve offered constructive critique and areas for improvement, in the hopes that they continue to grow.
#6. Pepin, Wis.
Laura’s Little House story begins with “Little House in the Big Woods,” near Pepin, a charming town on the beautiful banks of the Mississippi River. At the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, you take a self-guided tour. There is a cute display of Little House type dolls, and a few other artifacts from the late 1800s. When we were there, there was a replica steam boat inside the building that kids could play in. My daughter enjoyed that. But I thought most of the museum was a bit dark, and could use some windows and lighter-color paint.
The log cabin wayside where the Ingalls family lived is about seven miles outside town. The Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society has built a replica log cabin there. When you look at the cabin you almost expect Ma to step outside. However, the wayside would be even better if the area around the cabin matched the description in the book more closely. Rather than being surrounded by woods, the area is mostly cleared. I missed seeing the big woods. The addition of other landmarks mentioned in the book would be a nice touch also. I really wanted to see the tree stump where Laura and Mary played tea. Obviously the real stump would be long gone, but perhaps one could be fabricated out of some material?
#5. Independence, Kan.
Fourteen miles from the actual homesite, the town of Independence, Kansas is bigger than I expected. The town has a choice of hotels in which to stay, plus several restaurants.
The Little House on the Prairie Museum has several historic buildings that were brought to the site. When we were there, we self-toured the buildings. However it was disappointing that they had ropes in the entry way to prevent us from going inside.
A replica log cabin looked very accurate, on the inside and out, to what I expected the Ingalls cabin to look like. A well that Pa presumably hand dug is well marked. There were no actual Laura items at this location.
The homesite could greatly benefit from some hands-on activities. Maybe some old-time laundry tubs or something like that. Since Native Americans factored so much in the LHOTP book, I think it would be nice to include them in the museum. But overall I think they’ve done well with what they have to work with. If it had a covered wagon to climb in, that would be nice.
Some onsite camping experiences (like, sleep in a log cabin or covered wagon!), would also be special. The homesite is about a three and a half hour drive west of Mansfield. It’s worth the drive if you’re a big fan, and/or wanting to visit every homesite.
#4. Burr Oak, Iowa
Though Laura didn’t write about it in any of the Little House books, the Ingalls family lived in Burr Oak for about a year. The entire area is lovely, and includes many outdoor sports, like rafting, fishing, kayaking. The town of Decorah is close also, and has restaurants and a few hotels.
The actual homesite is the Masters Hotel, which has been lovingly restored. We enjoyed the tour of the hotel. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable, not just about Laura, but about aspects of living in the area in the late 1800s. The hotel was once a stop on the stagecoach route. The town of Burr Oak is still so small, it was easy to imagine a stagecoach rushing up the road and stopping at the hotel. I definitely recommend swinging by this site if you have the chance.
#3. Mansfield, Mo.
Laura, Almanzo and Rose moved to Mansfield, Mo. in 1894 to start a new life. Laura and Almanzo lived there the rest of their lives. It is here that Laura wrote articles and columns for publications, and of course, the Little House books. The people who run the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum have done an absolutely amazing job of preserving her legacy. You’ll see many items mentioned in the books, including Pa’s actual fiddle! In the new museum, which opened in 2016, there many high-tech learning activities. I’ve read that some touchless ones have even been recently added. You’ll see the farmhouse that Laura and Almanzo built using materials from the farm. You’ll also see the cottage that Rose had built for her parents, and many items owned by Rose, who was also a famous writer.
#2. De Smet, S.D.
De Smet is a treasure trove of Laura sights. Four of the Little House books took place here (plus “The First Four Years”). In town, you’ll want to visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home gift shop to purchase tickets to a guided tour that will include several buildings, including the Surveyor’s House, where much of “By the Shores of Silver Lake” takes place. The tour also includes the original De Smet school, where Laura sparred with her teacher Eliza Jane Wilder, plus the Ingalls home where Pa, Ma, and Mary lived out their later years.
About a mile outside of town is the privately-owned Ingalls Homestead. This is the land owned by the Ingalls family. We loved this place. You can stay the night in a covered wagon, or bring your own tent. You can see a log cabin, a sod house, and a reproduction of the Ingalls’ homestead house. There also are many activities, including a wagon ride, a visit to a schoolhouse, wringing laundry, and twisting hay. It’s fun and educational for kids and adults. It’s like Disneyland for Laura and pioneer nerds!
#1. Walnut Grove, Minn.
Every LIW fan who has the opportunity should visit Walnut Grove at least once. It’s not just the museum that makes Walnut Grove special – although the museum is wonderful – it’s the enthusiasm for Laura in the entire community. The people here embrace and seem to relish all things Laura. There’s a huge welcome sign as you enter the town. Prairie-style dresses were like a uniform among the many little girls we saw.
Preferably you want to visit on one of the weekends in July when the town has the Laura Ingalls pageant. My (then 8-year-old) daughter and I loved the Laura Ingalls pageant, which takes place on the first three Friday and Saturday nights in July. The script is a perfect blend of corny and cute, truly special. We also loved the festival in the town square, which takes place on the first three Saturdays of July (coinciding with the pageant).
We loved the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum also. It has various pioneer-style houses, plus many hands-on activities, and so many unique items to see. The “Little House” TV show was set in Walnut Grove (though actually filmed in southern California). Nevertheless, the museum managers have embraced their celebrity, and made the town the destination for celebrity Little Town visits. There are many photos taken when Little House actors visited the town. The fiddle from the TV show is here, plus the outfit that Mr. Edwards constantly wore. The mantel used in the show also is here. It still has C + C etched into the front. You can take all the photos you like.
The museum doesn’t have many (maybe even any?) of the items actually owned by Laura, but it celebrates the books nicely with replicas and items from the era. One building has an old-time replica store that kids can play in.
A mile or so north of town is the actual Ingalls dugout site. The land is privately owned, but the family allows people to drive to the dugout site, next to the creek. They do ask for a very reasonable donation, which you’ll make using the honor system.
If you’re able, I encourage you to visit any of the homesites – to see the places where the books took place, and to make memories of your own.
Gina Parsons - Writer 