For our Little House on the Prairie Tour, we sort of went backwards! We started where Carrie lived as a adult, then went to the Little Town on the Prairie and then to Plum Creek. Here, we got out of order, we visited Pepin next and then Burr Oak. Then we jumped ahead to Laura and Almanzo's house and finally ended with the Little House on the Prairie in Kansas.
In De Smet, SD, we were able to secure an RV site on the Ingalls Homestead. It's situated on Charles Ingalls original homestead claim in the Dakota Territory.
This is the sunset on the night we arrived....
This is the view from our RV site - there was an observation tower (which I didn't climb), the visitors center, a playground, and the homestead site.
Looking from the corner of one of the schoolhouses toward the homestead house....
Similar buggy to what Laura and Almanzo would have driven Sunday afternoons.
C found ALL the animals, including the welcoming cats at the visitor's center front door - it started out on the buggy's driver seat.
The homestead itself is a working farm/living museum. We were able to touch everything! There is a house that resembles what the Ingall's final house would have looked like, in approximately the location of the house. There is a stable built into the hill for the animals. Also on the property is a dugout and a claim shanty, 2 replica schoolhouses, one which "holds" classes, an old church building, and several barns. The farm does grow corn and hay. The hay was being cut during our visit.
The schoolhouse next to the RV spots is an exhibit about the Little House books and has a covered wagon replica inside. Just down the path from schoolhouse is a sample of a claim shanty and a dugout. The dugout did have "modern" roofing on the inside to keep the roof from collapsing on visitors.
The dugout's walls showed the roots coming in and everyone agreed that while it was probably warmer, they liked the smell of the shanty better.
N wanted to look into the stove pipe and I suspect was trying to find the hole where the ox's feet fell through.
Next, we visited the stable that was build into/on the hill. Inside was a baby calf, born in July, that was named Bright - just like one of Almanzo's in Farmer Boy. When we first visited, he was sleeping. Later in the day, he was up and visited with the kids.
The cats also had a home in the barn, as did several chickens.
The replica claim shanty/homestead house was located a little away from the barn. In between, there was a well that you could practice your homestead skills on. The water that was drawn up was then used to wash the laundry at the house.
This is from the well looking toward the house and the garden plot.
There are also cottonwoods close to the homestead house. The stories mention that Pa brought one from each of the family members. It appears that he brought more than just 5 trees.
The garden was very pretty. It has a few vegetables and many flowers around the edges.
Here are the roof rafters as Pa probably built them. That much gap sure didn't leave much for the imagination about the outside temperatures.
There were hay tic mattresses on the beds. The cats really liked the master bed and several people said they thought the hay tic might be comfortable - maybe for one night.
In the living room, we found a pump organ, similar to what Mary would have played, and a treadle sewing machine. The nice thing about a treadle, the speed sure isn't as fast a a modern machine - safer for little fingers though.
Also in the living room, there was an activity center to learn about crafts (braided rugs) and games (buttons on a string).
And then there was the outside laundry station! Maybe I should get a setup like this and they will do more of my laundry?!?
In the kitchen area was a big stove that was probably like what Ma ended up using. There is also some documents including Pa's Claim Deed.
We also saw shelf paper and a braille alphabet. Mary learned both braille and raised letter reading, because she already knew her alphabet when she became blind.
We saw a whatnot in the corner with beautiful shelf paper.
And everyone liked trying the pump organ. S said she had a hard time keeping the petal going while playing the notes. Even on a "modern" piano, she and the petals don't always get along though.
We also took a wagon ride out to the school house where the kids attended a class and then were allowed to ring the bell. Also on the wagon ride, each child that so desired, was allowed to drive the team.
At the schoolhouse: all the children were given bonnets and aprons to wear and the boys were given straw hats and then everyone picked a seat. Since the younger children always sat up front in the books, the younger ones headed towards the front and the older ones tried to hide in the back.
One boy looks right at home and one is very intent upon listening to the teacher.
All the children were asked to stand for a little movement to warm them up on a cold morning.
Some of the children were called up to read from a primer - C did very well, loud clear voice!
After "school", everyone was given an opportunity to ring the school bell before heading off to more play.
After the wagon rides, the kids took turns driving a pony buggy and riding a horse. While the others waited, they practiced their roping skills and visited the upstairs exhibits in the barn. I think we may need to set up a roping area at home.
We also visited the barn where we learned how to make corn cob dolls and superheros, shuck corn, grind wheat, make a hay twist for burning, and make ropes.
Learning to grind wheat just like Laura and Mary and Carrie did for food during the long winter
And then they learned how to twist hay into a hay twist for burning. It definitely requires strong hands and lots of practice to make it look nice.
Next, we made corn cob dolls, after removing all the ears from the cob.
And then we made rope!
Dad showing C how it's done!
We finished the day by visiting the monument dedicated to the Ingall's, which is located in the midst of some of Pa's surviving Cottonwood trees.
Looking out across the Big Slough towards town.
Sunset on the 2nd night at the homestead.
In De Smet, SD, we were able to secure an RV site on the Ingalls Homestead. It's situated on Charles Ingalls original homestead claim in the Dakota Territory.
This is the sunset on the night we arrived....
These two are of sunrise the next morning... Love looking over the barn at the sun coming up.
This is the view from our RV site - there was an observation tower (which I didn't climb), the visitors center, a playground, and the homestead site.
Looking from the corner of one of the schoolhouses toward the homestead house....
Similar buggy to what Laura and Almanzo would have driven Sunday afternoons.
C found ALL the animals, including the welcoming cats at the visitor's center front door - it started out on the buggy's driver seat.
The homestead itself is a working farm/living museum. We were able to touch everything! There is a house that resembles what the Ingall's final house would have looked like, in approximately the location of the house. There is a stable built into the hill for the animals. Also on the property is a dugout and a claim shanty, 2 replica schoolhouses, one which "holds" classes, an old church building, and several barns. The farm does grow corn and hay. The hay was being cut during our visit.
The dugout's walls showed the roots coming in and everyone agreed that while it was probably warmer, they liked the smell of the shanty better.
N wanted to look into the stove pipe and I suspect was trying to find the hole where the ox's feet fell through.
Next, we visited the stable that was build into/on the hill. Inside was a baby calf, born in July, that was named Bright - just like one of Almanzo's in Farmer Boy. When we first visited, he was sleeping. Later in the day, he was up and visited with the kids.
The cats also had a home in the barn, as did several chickens.
The replica claim shanty/homestead house was located a little away from the barn. In between, there was a well that you could practice your homestead skills on. The water that was drawn up was then used to wash the laundry at the house.
This is from the well looking toward the house and the garden plot.
There are also cottonwoods close to the homestead house. The stories mention that Pa brought one from each of the family members. It appears that he brought more than just 5 trees.
The garden was very pretty. It has a few vegetables and many flowers around the edges.
Here are the roof rafters as Pa probably built them. That much gap sure didn't leave much for the imagination about the outside temperatures.
There were hay tic mattresses on the beds. The cats really liked the master bed and several people said they thought the hay tic might be comfortable - maybe for one night.
In the living room, we found a pump organ, similar to what Mary would have played, and a treadle sewing machine. The nice thing about a treadle, the speed sure isn't as fast a a modern machine - safer for little fingers though.
And then there was the outside laundry station! Maybe I should get a setup like this and they will do more of my laundry?!?
We saw a whatnot in the corner with beautiful shelf paper.
We also took a wagon ride out to the school house where the kids attended a class and then were allowed to ring the bell. Also on the wagon ride, each child that so desired, was allowed to drive the team.
At the schoolhouse: all the children were given bonnets and aprons to wear and the boys were given straw hats and then everyone picked a seat. Since the younger children always sat up front in the books, the younger ones headed towards the front and the older ones tried to hide in the back.
One boy looks right at home and one is very intent upon listening to the teacher.
All the children were asked to stand for a little movement to warm them up on a cold morning.
Some of the children were called up to read from a primer - C did very well, loud clear voice!
After "school", everyone was given an opportunity to ring the school bell before heading off to more play.
After the wagon rides, the kids took turns driving a pony buggy and riding a horse. While the others waited, they practiced their roping skills and visited the upstairs exhibits in the barn. I think we may need to set up a roping area at home.
Sleigh riding just like Almanzo and Laura!
We also visited the barn where we learned how to make corn cob dolls and superheros, shuck corn, grind wheat, make a hay twist for burning, and make ropes.
Learning to grind wheat just like Laura and Mary and Carrie did for food during the long winter
And then they learned how to twist hay into a hay twist for burning. It definitely requires strong hands and lots of practice to make it look nice.
Next, we made corn cob dolls, after removing all the ears from the cob.
And then we made rope!
We finished the day by visiting the monument dedicated to the Ingall's, which is located in the midst of some of Pa's surviving Cottonwood trees.
Looking out across the Big Slough towards town.
Comments