Weekend Writing: Celebrating Laura Ingalls Wilder

"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all." - Laura Ingalls Wilder 

Who hasn't watched an episode of Little House on the Prairie? The 1970's family western drama chronicled the lives of the real-life Ingalls family in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling children's series of the same name, the television series is one of the most wholesome, inspirational series ever created. 

I'm celebrating Laura Ingalls Wilder today on the blog in honor of her birthday. She was born on February 7, 1867, to Charles and Caroline Ingalls. At the time of her birth, the family lived north of the village of Pepin, Wisconsin, in a region known as the Big Woods. This home became the setting of Wilder's first book, Little House in the Big Woods (published in 1932). 

The Ingalls family consisted of five children: Mary Amelia (January 10, 1865 - October 20, 1928), Laura Elizabeth, Caroline (Carrie) Celestia (August 3, 1870 - June 2, 1946), Charles Frederick (November 1, 1875 - August 1876), and Grace Pearl (May 23, 1877 - November 10, 1941). 

The Ingalls family (photo/The New York Times).

When she was two years old, Laura moved with her family to modern-day Independence, Kansas. Because they were moving to Native American territory, the Ingalls family had no legal right to occupy their homestead. The family left in 1871 after hearing rumors of settlers being evicted. The Ingalls moved back to Wisconsin, and these early childhood experiences formed the basis of Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie (published in 1935). 

Laura Ingalls Wilder's childhood home in Pepin, Wisconsin (photo/Chicago Sun-Times).

When Laura was seven years old, the Ingalls family moved from Wisconsin to an area near Walnut Grove, Minnesota, settling on the banks of Plum Creek. This became the basis of her 1937 book, On the Banks of Plum Creek. The family originally lived in a dugout sod house before moving into a new house built on the same land. Laura Ingalls Wilder will always be associated with Walnut Grove, mostly from her biography, books, and the successful television series. 

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove, Minnesota (photo/Explore Minnesota).

After two summers of failed, ruined crops, the family moved to Burr Oak, Iowa, where they helped run a hotel. They quickly moved back to Walnut Grove, where Charles "Pa" Ingalls served as the town butcher and justice of the peace. Finally, in 1879, Charles accepted a railroad job in eastern Dakota Territory, and the family later joined him in De Smet, South Dakota. This new home served as the foundation for Wilder's 1939 book, By the Shores of Silver Lake. 

The Ingalls family home in De Smet, South Dakota (photo/MPR News).

Once the family was settled in De Smet, the children attended school, the Ingalls worked part-time jobs, and they made friends. One of these friends was Laura's future husband, the attractive "manly" bachelor, Almanzo Wilder. This time in her life is recounted in the books Little Town on the Prairie (1941) and These Happy Golden Years (1943). 

In December 1882, just two months before her 16th birthday, Laura accepted her first teaching job, in which she worked in a one-room schoolhouse when she wasn't attending school in De Smet. She didn't particularly enjoy the job, but she was happy to have some responsibility to help her family. Meanwhile, she also worked for the local dressmaker. 

Laura and Almanzo Wilder
(photo/Wikipedia).

At 15 years old, Laura became more serious about her crush on Almanzo Wilder. Despite the fact that he was 25 years old (ten years older than her), the two started courting and he drove Laura (in a horse carriage, of course) back-and-forth from her teaching job to her home. The two soon fell in love. From the beginning of their courtship, they adopted nicknames for each other--with Laura calling Almanzo "Manly" and he called her "Bess" from her middle name because he had a sister named Laura. He wanted his love to have a special name of her own.

Three years later, when Laura turned 18 years old, the couple were married on August 25, 1885. They spent their newlywed years in a new home north of De Smet. On December 5, 1886, the couple welcomed a daughter, Rose. In 1889, Laura and Almanzo had a son, who died in infancy at 12 days old before he was named. 

Laura and Almanzo's marriage wasn't easy, especially in the first few years. Almanzo was partially paralyzed following a life-threatening case of diphtheria. While he regained nearly full use of his legs, he used a cane for the remainder of his life. The family lost their home in a fire accidentally set by Rose, and they were eventually unable to earn a living on their farm from severe droughts. In 1894, due to these unfortunate circumstances, the Wilder family moved from De Smet to settle in Mansfield, Missouri in a home they named Rocky Ridge Farm. 

Laura and Almanzo Wilder's home in Mansfield, Missouri (photo/MPR News).

In 1911, Laura became more serious about her desire to write. She earned a permanent position as a columnist and editor for the Missouri Ruralist. Her column, "As a Farm Woman Thinks," focused on a variety of topics from home and family, as well as her thoughts on the growing opportunities for women during the early 1900s. According to professor and author John E. Miller, "By 1924, after more than a decade of writing for farm papers, Wilder had become a disciplined writer, able to produce thoughtful, readable prose for a general audience." 

Laura Ingalls Wilder (photo/MNopedia).

Noticing her mother's potential, Rose encouraged Laura to improve her writing skills. During the Great Depression, the Wilders' investments were wiped out. Laura turned to her writing and wrote an autobiographical manuscript. She hoped her writing could earn some income. Following a publisher's advice, she expanded her writing and this manuscript became Little House in the Big Woods. Laura continued writing and her books gained popularity for young school children. 

Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series (photo/Amazon.com).

Since their original publication, the Little House books are some of the most enduring, wholesome books for elementary school children. The books focus on the Ingalls family's experiences on the American frontier. Essentially, it was the first true family saga ever written. In the books, the Ingalls experience everything: frequent moves to unknown territories, illnesses, prairie fires, blizzards, menacing encounters with Native American tribes, predation by wolves and panthers, and more. 

Laura Ingalls Wilder (photo/Time Magazine)

Life was exciting for the prairie family, and that's what readers enjoy. They love reading about a time period they have never experienced but told from the point of view of a child just like them. Even though our lives are greatly different from the Ingalls family in the late 1800s, we can still identify with them. We can learn from their values. We can see a version of ourselves in the characters. The Ingalls family was a real family, and the books invite readers to join the family. Who hasn't wanted to be one of the Ingalls? 

In 1949, Almanzo Wilder died at 92 years old after suffering two heart attacks. Following his death, Laura lived alone and continued to work on her writing, corresponding with editors and fans, and being looked after by a close circle of neighbors and friends. 

In 1956, Laura became ill from undiagnosed diabetes and other cardiac health issues. Her health continued to decline until she passed away on February 10, 1957, three days after her 90th birthday. Like so many writers, her legacy continues today, and it always will. For many readers, her books demonstrated that reading can be fun. Reading takes you to another place (Walnut Grove, perhaps), where you experience exciting adventures. You can read about characters who are so similar to yourself. 

It's important for children to learn at a young age that reading is fundamental and entertaining. Laura Ingalls Wilder's books have been the perfect example of these type of books since their original publication, and I'm confident they will always be beneficial to young readers. Everyone loves a good prairie story, and the adventures of Walnut Grove are impossible to resist. 

One plane ticket to Walnut Grove, please. I would ask for a horse carriage ride, but that might take too long. It's best to leave that to the Ingalls family. 

-KJL-