Laura Ingalls Wilder Events Around the Country 2024

It’s not always easy to find out about what’s going on for Laura Ingalls Wilder events around the country. I finally decided that current information is probably best posted on a month-by-month basis so for current information search this site for the name of the month you are looking for and the word “event” (for example March 2024 Laura Ingalls Wilder Events).

Let me know if I’m missing any. Most of these events are annual but check with the group hosting the event for exact dates for following years. There are a few events that no longer exist.

I have enough information that I want to post what I have for 2024. The events I haven’t gotten dates for yet still have 2023 dates and are italicized. I’ll update them as I get more information.

CHECK BACK! for changes throughout the year. I make changes and updates on the page (click here)  and NOT on THIS POST as I find out more.

Listen to our Looking Ahead Episode

https://www.blogtalkradio.com/trundlebedtales/2024/05/05/ep-151-looking-ahead-at-laura-ingalls-wilder-fandom-2024

Or find it wherever you get your podcasts under Trundlebed Tales.

Blue lake with a tree and grass on shore
Silver Lake October 2018

Pepin WI

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s 157th birthday is February 7, 2024. They’ll be celebrating in Pepin at the Little House Wayside, the cabin at her birth site, on February 3, 2024 from Noon-2:00pm. Come on by!

Home at Laura’s Place – 9:00 am to 5:00pm (2nd weekend, Saturday and Sunday)

  • May 10-12, 2024
  • June 8-9, 2024
  • July 13-14, 2024
  • August 10-11, 2024

Visit the Little House Wayside in Pepin, WI on these special weekends to see the cabin fully furnished and re-enactors demonstrating the arts of daily living in the 1870s.  This is a cooperative activity of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Days Committee, and the Austin Tea Party Players.

50th Anniversary Cast Reunion Event – Villa Bellezza Winery and Vineyards in Pepin, WI – May 10-11, 2024, LaCrosse WI – May 12, 2024 (See more detail under cast reunion)

Laura Days – September 14 & 15, 2024
This is their big Laura event of the year. Traditionally they include the most participants (including adults) who dress in prairie clothes, a regional fiddle contest, and a Traditional Crafts demonstration area.

Hours

2024 Season Opens: May 1, 2024

Open 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Daily (including weekends & holidays) from May 1st thru October 26, 2024 (including Memorial Day, July 4, & Labor Day).

Last Day of Season: October 26, 2024

Independence KS

This year Prairie Days has been changed into a cast reunion event. There is more information under the reunion events section.

50th Anniversary Event – Independence, KS – Prairie Days-A LHOTP Cast 50th Celebration on May 31 – June 2, 2024

Carrie Ingalls Swanzey’s Birthday Party – Saturday August 3, 2024

Hours

Open March 15th – November 1st, 2024  – 10:00 pm – 5:00 pm everyday.
[Opening and closing dates not confirmed.]

Walnut Grove MN

Online Laura Ingalls Wilder Birthday Special – February 4, 2024 – 3:00 pm –
The Walnut Grove pageant will have another online celebration of Laura’s birthday. This time focused on the actresses who played Nellie Oleson in the pageant over the years. The interviews will be live, recorded, or read. Due to time constraints, they are interviewing the Nellie actresses who had been in the Walnut Grove Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant for 5 years or more. They would still like to hear from any Nellie actress in the form of a short bio of what you are up to now and any thoughts on acting as Nellie Oleson in our production.

Find-a-Grave Presentation – April 18, 2024
Bonnie Caldwell will present about grave hunting. Bonnie will share how to use the Find-A-Grave site and provide tips on making it a fun experience.

Walnut Grove Pageant – This year continues a brand-new trilogy of plays in place of the Fragments of a Dream pageant. The first in the trilogy will be closest to traditional Fragments of a Dream so they did the 2nd one last year. This year it’s the third one, Dream Fulfilled.

  • July 12-13, 2024
  • July 19-20, 2024 (Reunion Weekend)
  • July 26-27, 2024

Family Festival held in Walnut Grove City Park on pageant Saturdays, July 12, 19, and 26, 2024. The festival goes from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm Check the Walnut Grove website for full schedule and more details as it gets closer.

2024 will be the 50th Anniversary of the Little House on the Prairie TV show (NBC). Walnut Grove is the homesite that has had the most to do with the TV show and has announced they will definitely be following up their 40th and 45th reunions with one this year. They are still rolling out information. If you plan on going look for where you want to stay now because they aren’t many spaces yet.

50th Anniversary Cast Reunion Event – Walnut Grove, MN – July 19-21, 2024 (Scroll up to Walnut Grove section for more information)

This is not one of the repeating productions and so will be done differently. This is Paul Valenti’s report on Facebook in January: “You DO NOT need an advance ticket to attend the reunion events being held within Walnut Grove. Autograph/Meet & Greet tickets will be available when you arrive in Walnut Grove. It is also not expected that tickets for the evening pageants will sell out, there is always more room ‘on the hill’ for that particular event. I DO expect that there will be a brunch and a dinner event held that weekend for which you WILL need an advance ticket. So all that the fans should concern themselves with right now, in regards to the Walnut Grove Reunion, is finding lodging and transportation, everything else will be announced in plenty of time for those of you who are looking to participate in the various events taking place that weekend.”

That is good advice, except I would pre-buy the pageant tickets as soon as possible to get good seats. Some people prefer to sit on a blanket on the hill though so it’s up to you. The pageant will be the play put on by the townspeople every year and a pre- pageant Q and A session with the TV show cast. You do not have to pre-buy a ticket to the Autograph/Meet & Greet sessions. They will also have a photo with the cast on Sunday. This is my playlist of videos from when I attended their event in 2014. I’ve got it cued up to video 3 which is when I made it to Walnut Grove.

Friday, July 19: Bruncheon ($70)

Saturday, July 20: Luncheon ($70)

-Your ticket includes a meal, a photo of you & others at your table with the Star, and a Gift Bag with exclusive items.
-You are only allowed to attend one of these events. You cannot attend both the bruncheon and luncheon.
-Additional information will be released by April 1st. Pre-sale date and times will be announced at that time.

Sunday, July 21 Photo Opportunity ($25)
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Community Center

You will have an opportunity to get a photograph with all of the Stars attending our reunion. The Stars will be seated and staged for you to join their photo. The photos will be taken on your personal device.

Here is their current page about the reunion event it’s got all the information you’ll need. Here is their regular pageant page, click Pageant at the top and it will give you more options for details.

  • Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • Patrick Labyorteaux (Andy Garvey)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Grace Ingalls)
  • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
  • David Friedman (Jason Carter)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)

2024 Walnut Grove Museum Hours Schedule – Republished With Permission

Walnut Grove Hours

Church bell in Belfry
Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove with Pa’s Bell

Burr Oak IA

Normally Burr Oak has a lot of smaller events throughout the year. This year they are planning on them again, but nothing is planned that far out. Check back later in the year for more. Under events on their website they have Laura Days dates out to 2030.

  • Laura Ingalls Wilder Park & Museum Annual Meeting January 20, 2024, Burr Oak Lutheran Church 6pm, if you are interested in attending by Zoom e-mail the museum and you will be sent the link. museum@lauraingallswilder.us
  • Spaghetti SupperDecorah Lutheran church on March 9, 2024 from 4:30-7:00 pm. Live auction of donated items from local businesses and homemade pies begins at 7:00 pm. $15 for adults; $5 for children ages 5-12; 4 and under free. Carry-outs and meatless sauce available. Meet our Little Miss Lauras and learn about our latest projects!
  • Laura’s Sack Lunch Drive-Thru Meal – May 5, 2024
    A fundraising drive through featuring the Winnesheik County Cattlemen. It also includes an open house at the new school building with live music, presentations by their Little Miss Lauras, and refreshments.
  • Laura Ingalls Wilder Days  June 21-23, 2024
    Sarah Uthoff of Trundlebed Tales will be the speaker!
  • Coloring Contest –

    Enter the Masters Hotel Coloring Contest! The 2024 information should be published May 1, 2024. The contest is open for all 8, 9, and 10 year olds. Download the picture and send to the museum. They will release the date to mail by and update the details later. Be sure to include your name and address on the other side of the picture. The winner will be announced at the Annual Laura Day Celebration. Need not to be present to win. All entries become the property of the museum. The winning picture will be displayed in the Laura Museum Visitor Center for the remainder of the season. The winner will receive the Laura Ingalls Wilder Coloring Book illustrated by Cheryl Harness. Click the link below to print the picture and entry form. Coloring Contest Rules

Hours – Unconfirmed for 2024

  • Opens May 1, 2024
    Monday-Saturday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, Last tour 3:00 pm
    Sunday: Noon – 4:00 pm, Last tour 3:00 pm
  • Memorial Day – Labor Day
    Monday-Saturday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, Last tour 4:00 pm
    Sunday: Noon – 4:00 pm, Last tour 3:00 pm
  • Post Labor Day – Mid October:
    Thursday-Saturday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, Last tour 3:00 pm
    Closed Sunday-Wednesday
  • Last day of the 2024 season TBD

De Smet SD

De Smet Memorial Society

Beyond The Prairie: A Journey Through the Lives of Laura Ingalls Wilder & Rose Wilder Lane will be the special exhibit for 2024.
Immerse yourself in the Wilder Legacy. Encounter the real Laura and Rose through their lives, writings, and relationship through a special display. May thru September 2024

De Smet Pageant

  • Prairie Girl: Laura’s Dakota Stories – An original production and  is described as featuring Laura and early De Smet history.
  • July 5, 6, 7, 2024
  • July 12, 13, 14. 2024
  • July 19, 20, 21, 2024
  • Gates Open 6 pm, Performance at 8 pm

Old Settlers Day will be Saturday, June 8, 2024.

The Ingalls Homestead is hosting a Plein Air Event (painting in the open air) in conjunction with the Harvey Dunn Society. Find more details about a previous event. –  August 8-11, 2024 with the wet sale on Sunday the 11th.

We don’t have dates for 2024 for their Christmas events, but I assume they will happen again this year.

  • “Christmas at the Ingalls Home” – No dates confirmed yet
    Join us for early holiday shopping plus a chance to tour the Ingalls House on 3rd Street free of charge. Stop at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society for your free ticket.
  • “Radio Pageant”- No dates confirmed
    You can attend in person at the De Smet Wellness Center. Previously
    it was broadcast live on Facebook, also, but no confirmation of that yet.

Memorial Society

  • May & September: Monday-Saturday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
    School fieldtrips typically visit in the mornings.
    Please call ahead to confirm tours.
  • June-August: Monday-Saturday 9:00 am – 5:30 pm
    Sunday 11:00 AM-5:30 PM
  • October-April: Tuesday-Saturday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
    Call ahead for tour times
  • Holiday Hours:
    We will be closed December 26, 2024 and January 2, 2025 so that our employees can spend the Holidays with their families.

Ingalls Homestead

2024 Hours

  • SPRING: May 1 – 23, 2024
    Monday – Friday – Hours vary daily as we host school field trips. Please contact us for availability.
    Saturday & Sunday – We are closed on weekends prior to Memorial Day.
    We do not keep regular hours during our spring season, but we do welcome visitors. Our activities are limited in the spring and can vary depending on when you visit. During our spring season, we do not offer the pony and pony cart rides. We are generally closed the Friday prior to Memorial Day weekend, to give us a day of transition between school field trips and our summer season.
  • SUMMER: May 25 – September 2, 2024
    Open 9am-7pm, Activities from 10am – 6pm. The first covered wagon ride leaves at 10am and the final covered wagon ride leaves at 6pm, with rides and activities throughout the day. We are open every day including Sundays, Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day.
  • AUTUMN: September 3 – September 30, 2024
    Open 9AM – 5PM; Activities offered from 11am – 2pm, Saturday Activities offered from 11am-4pm
    We have the covered wagon ride, pony and pony cart rides, and hands-on activities each day. We will not be offering the one-room schoolhouse session except on Saturdays.
    October 1 – October 31, 2024
    Daily 9AM – 5PM, weather permitting.
    No activities offered, but the grounds, visitors center, and gift shop are open.
  • WINTER:
    The grounds are closed for the winter, but we are still in the office. If you would like to make a camping reservation, request information, or place a phone order, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

behind the barns

Spring Valley MN

  • Spring Cleaning  May 4, 2024
  • Ice Cream Social  June 21, 2024 at 5pm
  • Eliza Jane One Room School Days  End of July (TBD)
  • Ag Days (formerly Wilder Fest) August 16-18, 2024
  • Winter Fundraiser  Fall/Winter (TBD)

Hours

Open between Memorial Day Weekend thru the end of August. 10:00 am – 4:00 pm daily. During September and October open Saturday and Sunday only, 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. Additional hours and events may be added later.

Mansfield MO

Note: Mansfield has been scheduling small events without a lot of notice. If this trend continues I will add them to list as soon as I find out about them.

For the 2024 the Special Season Exhibit- “Remembering Almanzo Wilder.” They have worked on filling in the spot where the previous museum was. They’ve kept Almanzo’s workshop and built a restoration of their garage. It will be the focal point of this year’s special exhibit.

  • Independence Day
    The Fourth of July is always celebrated in Mansfield, Missouri. Parades have been a tradition here since the days of Horses pulling Decorated Wagons and Buggies. Today we all celebrate Independence Day in Mansfield with a Parade, Festival and Fireworks.
  • Rocky Ridge Adventure Pioneer Camp – July 22-26, 2024
    The Laura Ingalls Wilder Home Association “Rocky Ridge Adventure Pioneer Camp” for the 2023 season! The camp will be for children ages (9-12). Camp will cost $TBA per child and will include a week of exciting adventures around Rocky Ridge Farm. Campers will enjoy many learning activities, bringing a hands-on perspective to the pioneer lifestyle. Email: liw.pioneercamp@gmail.com Camp will take place, rain or shine!! Your child will not want to miss this special week of historic fun and memories!!!! Register today and reserve your spot! What is included from last year’s post – Registration cost includes 5 days of camp, tin cup, badge, book, shirt and a hat (bonnet for girls and coon skin cap for boys). For more information, call 417-924-3626.
  • “Laura’s Memories” – An Outdoor Pageant
    Sadly the Ozarks Mountain Players have closed down. The rights to the script and songs have reverted to their authors. There is some hope in town another group in town will restart ”Laura’s Memories” the pageant in Mansfield City Park. Sadly this is the second Laura pageant group, after the one in Pepin, Wisconsin which closed some years ago, to close. It’s the first long running pageant to do so. It had great music and the most comfortable pageant theater of the current shows.
  • 49th Wilder Days  – September 27-28, 2024
    Annual celebration commemorating Laura Ingalls Wilder, America’s favorite pioneer girl, and her cherished Little House books. Sadly they didn’t get funding for the fiddle contest on Wilder Day. It will be a great day to enjoy hearing fiddle music Pa’s Fiddle played.
    Please come out and enjoy the festivities. Visit our Facebook page for more info.
  • Wilder Dinner – September 27, 2024
    The 5th Annual, “Wilder Dinner.” The date has not been announced, but is normally on the Friday of Wilder Days. The special guest this year will be Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder on the NBC series).
  •  The Laura Ingalls Wilder Children’s Literature Festival November 7-8, 2024
    The 6th Annual, Laura Ingalls Wilder Children’s Literature Festival. For more information please visit www.liwclf.com
  • Jean C. Coday Day at Rocky Ridge Farm –  Nov. 2, 2024
    As former director (1993-2018) and board member (1960-2018) of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum we honor her memory and years of service with a discounted ticket price of $10 for all active and retired teachers and librarians. Mrs. Coday had a passion for children, devoting 31 years as a teacher/administrator with the Mansfield school system. The Jean C. Coday Elementary School Library was named in her honor in 2000. The board of directors have decided to make this an annual event on the Saturday closest to her birthday.
  • Christmas at Laura’s – Saturday, December 14, 2024 – 5pm-7pm
    Opening and decorating the Rocky Ridge farmhouse for Christmas is a tradition here on Rocky Ridge Farm. Holiday shopping in the giftshop. Come celebrate Christmas with us in a most special way!
    It’s Mansfield’s Christmas in the Ozarks that day with Activities starting at 2pm, a Christmas Tea from 2:30-3:30pm, and the parade at 4pm. Most stores around the square will be having an activity.

Hours

  • March 1st – November 15th, 2024 (Closed Easter Sunday, March 31)
  • Monday-Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Adult Ticket – $18.00   Children 6 to 17 – $8.00   Children 5 & Under – Free

Malone/Burke NY

  • Find more on events.
  •  Annual Meeting and Dinner! Jan. 26,2024 at the As We Like It Cafe in Malone NY. Special presentation by Melanie Stringer, historian and Wilder scholar. Details at almanzowilderfarm.com/blog
  • Eclipse Days – Sunday, April 7, 2024 12pm – 3pm, Monday, April 8, 2024 11am – 3pm
    Museum and Gift Shop open and the grounds are open for eclipse viewing
  • Fiber Arts – Every Wednesday starting April 17, 2024 3pm-5pm
  • Opening for the Season May 25, 2024
  • Fun on the Farm! – Saturday, June 22, 2024 10am – 4 pm
    A fun day for kids with traditional games to play. Winners will be announced for the art show and essay contest. Honorary Almanzo and Laura will be chosen! Check back for more details.

     

  • The following annual event dates haven’t been released for 2024
  • Celebration of Youth and Morgan Horse – July 16, 2022
    Children’s art on display, along with students’ essays. Award ceremony and the announcement of Honorary Laura and Almanzo
    Kids art activities, 19th century games, vendors, food
    Entertainment & more!
    Dean Butler who played Almanzo Wilder on the TV show will guest.
  • Annual Cultural Festival – Scottish Fling – July 15, 2023

    Our annual cultural events will resume this summer with our 2nd Scottish Fling! Come enjoy the enchanting sounds of bagpipes, watch traditional Scottish dancers, and try some Scottish fare, as we celebrate the influence of the Scots in rural northern NY when the Wilder family lived here. Vendors invited.

  • Almanzo and Laura Ingalls Wilder Anniversary Celebration – August 25, 2024
    Lemonade and Cupcakes, free admission for people with the same anniversary (must show proof)
  • Annual Harvest Festival & Civil War Living History Encampment – September 23 & 24, 2023
    Civil War living history encampment
    Pumpkin painting and children’s 19th century game in the orchard, children’s corn pit in the barn,
    Adult juried art show on display
    Entertainment, demonstrators, craft & produce
  • Christmas with Almanzo  – December 2, 2023 – 11am -3pm
    Join us at Christmas with Almanzo! Kids’ holiday crafts, carol singing, Farmer Boy Christmas chapter readings, and gift shop open! FREE admission.

ALL EVENTS AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Their regular season runs from May 25 through September 30, 2023. If planning a visit when they are closed you can reach out and ask about a special tour. Higher rates apply for small special groups, regular rates for groups over 3 people if they can arrange the staff.

Vinton IA

Tours are not currently available. We are in doubt of future events due to uncertainty of the future of the building.

Keystone SD – Longtime Home of Carrie Ingalls Swanzey

50th Anniversary Event – Carrie Days: A Celebration of the Life of Carrie Ingalls – Keystone, SD – July 26-28, 2024 (Scroll down to the reunion section to see more)

Hours

The museum will be opening in May 2024 with the following hours:

  • Monday-Friday: 10 am – 4 pm
  • Saturday: 10 am – 2 pm
  • Sunday: Closed

Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum – West Branch IA

They do a special Laura program every year in September with a speaker. Sadly they missed doing one in 2023. No word on date, time, or format for this year’s.

Pomona Public Library – Pomona CA

No Laura’s birthday Gingerbread Sociable will be held again this year. It may return next year.

Old World Wisconsin – Eagle WI

Old World Wisconsin is returning to Laura Ingalls Wilder events in a different way. They are offering camps. Search their events page for Laura Ingalls Wilder to pull up more information or book tickets. This year they have increased the number of times they are offering both camps.

Little House Adventure Summer Camp – One day adventure camps for kids held 5 different times. Registration is a separate fee. Kids ages 8-10.

  • Thursday, June 27, 2024, 10 am – 3 pm
  • Thursday, July 18, 2024, 10 am – 3 pm
  • Thursday, July 25, 2024, 10 am – 3 pm
  • Thursday, August 1, 2024, 10 am – 3 pm
  • Thursday, August 8, 2024, 10 am – 3 pm

Little House Family Adventure Summer Camp – One day camp for kids and adults to go together. It doesn’t say so, but I think they expect you to bring a kid if you’re an adult.

  • Sunday, July 21, 2024, 10 m. – 3 pm
  • Sunday, August 4, 2024, 10 am – 3 pm

Nelson Pioneer Farm – Oskaloosa, Iowa

They got a new director and haven’t set dates for this year’s events yet.

  • Laura Days – July 11 – July 28, 2023
    Three different series of craft activities will be offered every Tuesday-Friday throughout July. This is not a day camp. The goal of this program is for the adults and children to do the activities together. Adults must remain with their children. Most activities are designed for children ages 6-10. Any special notation regarding ages or skill levels are listed with the activities. Or a modification will be available. Younger siblings are welcome to join in to the best of their ability! Each day we’ll feature a building or exhibit before heading to the craft barn to make the craft.

  • Colt on Ingalls Homestead

    Colt on Ingalls Homestead

The Newberry

This information is from 2023, but Sardella-Ayres is planning on holding an online version of the class this fall. It has not been formally adopted yet and there is no dates or times.

Online Class, Tuition Required, Number of students capped
This class explores Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series in-depth, from multiple angles, including their settings, authorship and publication, adaptations, translations, and continued legacy. How does the series present American history and American girlhood? What do the books reveal about society, ideology, and America in their historical time? Taught by a dedicated Wilder scholar, this class will examine chronologically Wilder’s eight-book series, as well as the works of Wilder’s daughter, the author and political theorist Rose Wilder Lane. The instructor is Dawn Sardella-Ayres received her PhD from the University of Cambridge in 2016, and is the current L.M. Montgomery Institute Research Associate for 2022-2023. She specializes in girls’ literature and the girls’ Bildungsroman, and has published on Alcott, Montgomery, Johnston, and Wilder.
Information Page

Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival – Marshfield, Missouri

Little House events Find more on their website

2024 CBF Ticket Information -These are only the Little House related events (plus Lesley Ann Warren’s Cinderella because that is awesomesauce – best live action Cinderella ever!) This is the ticketed events list. Non-ticket events haven’t been published yet.
*All Cherry Blossom Festival tickets will go on sale on Presidents Day at 8 AM (CST). This is a list of the ticketed festival events ONLY. A full schedule will be released later as it is finalized.
Click on the following link if you would like to view every ticketed event:
Thursday, April 25:
2:30 PM (Marshfield Community Center, 110 Commercial Street): The annual Cherry Blossom Tea; Lesley Ann Warren (Cinderella, Rogers & Hammerstein’s 1965) will be the keynote tea speaker and the tea will be “Cinderella” themed. Admission will be $12 per person and can be ordered online at or by calling 808-345-4975. Hats are highly encouraged for this festival event. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/844108490217?aff=oddtdtcreator
Friday, April 26:
8 AM (Marshfield Assembly of God, 1538 W. Washington): Laura Ingalls Wilder Breakfast- The Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum hosts, “Nellie’s Breakfast”-benefiting the Laura Ingalls Wilder Children’s Literature Festival. The program will feature a panel celebrating the 50th anniversary of Little House on the Prairie. Panel participants will include:
  • Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Baby Grace Ingalls)
  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)
  • David Friedman (Jason Carter)
  • Patrick Labyorteaux (Andy Garvey)
  • and other memorable cast members from the classic television show.
Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased online at or by calling 808-345-4975. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/844152381497?aff=oddtdtcreator

Reunion of the TV show cast April 25-27, 2024
Find more info on their website and on their Facebook page

Cast Reunions at Non-Homesite Towns of More than 3 Cast Members

I updated the cast lists as of April 11, 2024. These are what I have found from published lists. I don’t have any insider information. Thanks to Jennifer Steffin (Toddler Rose Wilder) who sent me some list corrections. All listed actors are “scheduled to appear” and if something happens they may not come.

50th Anniversary of TV Show and Cast Reunion– Simi Valley, CA – March 22-24, 2024
Learn more on their website it’s all listed there.

Summary by Nora Harmon: They will have a professional photographer that will take your photo with any of the stars. You sign up for a time and you and 3 others can get a printed 8×10 photo. Plus a free download. Each individual star is $65 each and then there are group photos too.

  • Karen Grassle (Ma Ingalls)
  • Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls Wilder)
  • Jonathan Gilbert (Willie Oleson)
  • Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)
  • Ketty Lester (Hester-Sue Terhune)
  • Patrick Labyorteaux (Andy Garvey)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Baby Grace Ingalls)
  • Brenda Turnbaugh (Baby Grace Ingalls)
  • Lucy Lee Flippin (Eliza Jane Wilder)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)
  • Jennifer Steffin (Toddler Baby Rose Wilder)
  • Michelle Steffin (Toddler Baby Rose Wilder)
  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • Green Bush Twins, Rachel Lindsay & Sidney Robyn (Carrie Ingalls)
  • Bonnie Bartlett (Grace Snider Edwards)
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
  • Linwood Boomer (Adam Kendall)
  • Michael Landon, Jr. (Jim, also Michael Landon’s son)
  • Leslie Landon (Etta Plum – last teacher on the show and Michael Landon’s daughter)
  • David Friedman (Jason Carter)
  • Stan Ivar (John Carver aka the man who got the original Little House from the show)
  • Brian Part (Carl Sanderson Edwards – Mr. Edwards adopted son)
  • Olivia Barash (Sylvia Webb – from the rapist clown episode)

The Prairie Days, a 50th LHOTP Cast Anniversary Celebration at Patti’s 1880s Settlement in Grand Rivers, KY will be held April 5 – 7, 2024

Little House on the Prairie Cast Member Meet and Greet ~
Fri., April 5 – Noon-4pm, Sat., April 6th 10am-4pm, Sun., April 7th 1pm-4pm
Located in the Settlement on Ashley’s Back Porch Cost: $12 over 12, $6 under 12
Little House Murder Mystery Dinner Theater ~
Fri., April 5th 6:30pm Cost: $175, Limited to 90 Guests
VIP Breakfast ~ Sun., April 7, 8:30am Cost: $100, Limited to 90 Guests
Stage Coach tickets available on April 6-7. Tickets need to be pre-purchased.

  • Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Baby Grace Ingalls)
  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • David Friedman (Jason Carter)
  • Dan McBride (Henry Riley – Customer at Nellie’s restaurant)
  • Olivia Barash (Sylvia Webb – the rapist clown episode)

Ticket info https://www.eventbrite.com/e/737631785527?aff=oddtdtcreator

Missouri Cherry Blossom FestivalApril 25-27, 2024 (Scroll up to Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival section)

50th Anniversary Event – Villa Bellezza Winery and Vineyards in Pepin, WI – May 10-11, 2024, LaCrosse WI – May 12, 2024

  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Baby Grace Ingalls)
  • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)
  • Jennifer Steffin (Toddler Rose Wilder)
  • David Friedman (Jason Carter)
  • Olivia Barash (Sylvia Webb)
  • & you’ll never know who else will show up!
Friday Night “Prairie Remembers” Dinner at Villa Bellezza Winery & Vineyards In Pepin, WI at 6:30 pm. The dinner will feature lemon chicken, Penne Forno, etc. Night of stories of beloved cast members that have passed told by their friends & colleagues. Ticket price is $155 and includes a photo with the LHOTP cast.
Saturday VIP Breakfast will be held at 8:30 am with the LHOTP cast at the Villa Bellezza VIP Breakfast tickets are $100 each.
The Little House on the Prairie Cast Meet and Greets will be held Friday Noon- 4pm, Saturday from 10 am- 4pm. Ticket Cost Adult $12. Kids 3-12 are just $6. The cast will be available for photos, autographs and their merchandise for sale.
Other activities are being confirmed an added soon.
You’ll want to take time to visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Musuem and the Little House-Wayside, the birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Sunday, May 12th, LaCrosse, WI 2 special Mother’s Day cruises aboard the La Crosse Queen Riverboat. One at 1:30pm with appetizer bar and a Dinner Cruise at 5:30pm. Located at the LaCrosse Queen Riverboat, 405 Veterans Memorial in LaCrosse, WI!

50th Anniversary Event – Independence, KS – Prairie Days – A Little House on the Prairie Cast 50th Celebration on May 31-June 2, 2024

LHOTP original cast members confirmed for the 2024 Prairie Days will include:
  • Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)
  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Baby Grace Ingalls)
  • Karen Grassle (Caroline Ingalls)
  • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)
  • David Friedman (Jason Carter)
  • Olivia Barash (Sylvia Webb)
  • Tracy & Victor French (children of Victor French-Mr Edwards)
  • Green Bush Twins, Rachel Lindsay & Sidney Robyn (Carrie Ingalls)
A Friday Night Dinner will take place at the Independence Historical Museum, 123 North 8th Street Independence, KS at 6:30 pm. The dinner will feature pork chops or cinnamon chicken breast, etc. The evening will honor many cast members who are no longer with us! A very moving night of stories of beloved cast members told by their friends & colleagues. Dinner is limited to 100 people. Ticket price is $175 and includes a photo with the LHOTP cast.
Saturday VIP Breakfast will be held at 8:30 am with the LHOTP cast, again at the Independence Historical Museum. VIP Breakfast tickets are limited to 100 guests and are $100 each. This will also sell out quickly.
The Little House on the Prairie Meet and Greets will be held Friday noon- 4pm, Saturday from 10 am- 4pm & again on Sunday noon-4pm. Ticket Cost Adult $12. Kids 3-12 $6. The cast will be available for photos, autographs and merchandise for sale. It will be held at the Little House on the Prairie Museum, 2507 County Road 3000 in Independence, KS.
Other activities are being confirmed an added soon.
For information email: gravelroadmarket@gmail.com.
Festival of Television of Monte Carlo, Monaco – June 14-18, 2024
This annual television festival celebrates TV shows from all over the world. If you are a soap person this is the event The Bold and the Beautiful attends most years and tries to slip in some footage that will appear as part of an episode or two while they are there. Find out more about their appearence.
  • Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary Ingalls)
  • Matthew Labyorteaux (Albert Ingalls)
  • Alison Arngrim (Nasty Nellie)
  • Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls)
  • Karen Grassle (Caroline Ingalls)
  • Leslie Landon Matthews (Miss Eva Plum aka Michael Landon’s daughter)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Grace Ingalls)

50th Anniversary Event – Walnut Grove, MN – July 19-21, 2024 (Scroll up to Walnut Grove section for more information)

This is not one of the repeating productions and so will be done differently. This is Paul Valenti’s report on Facebook in January: “You DO NOT need an advance ticket to attend the reunion events being held within Walnut Grove. Autograph/Meet & Greet tickets will be available when you arrive in Walnut Grove. It is also not expected that tickets for the evening pageants will sell out, there is always more room “on the hill” for that particular event. I DO expect that there will be at least a brunch and a dinner event held that weekend for which you WILL need an advance ticket. So all that the fans should concern themselves with right now, in regards to the Walnut Grove Reunion, is finding lodging and transportation, everything else will be announced in plenty of time for those of you who are looking to participate in the various events taking place that weekend.”

That is good advice, except I would pre-buy the pageant tickets as soon as possible to get good seats. Some people prefer to sit on a blanket on the hill though so it’s up to you. The pageant will be the play put on by the townspeople every year and a pre- pageant Q and A session with the TV show cast. You do not have to pre-buy a ticket to the Autograph/Meet & Greet sessions. I expect that they will also have a photo with the cast on Sunday, but that’s based on their previous events, not anything I know from this year. This is my playlist of videos from when I attended their event in 2014. I’ve got it cued up to video 3 which is when I made it to Walnut Grove.

  • Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • Patrick Labyorteaux (Andy Garvey)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Grace Ingalls)
  • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
  • David Friedman (Jason Carter)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)

50th Anniversary EventCarrie Days: A Celebration of the Life of Carrie Ingalls – Keystone, SD – July 26-28, 2024

Have you ever wanted to “Picture Yourself on the Prairie?” You’ll get the chance to get your picture taken in front of 12 painted canvases of the Oleson Mercantile, the Little House and so much more. You’ll feel like you are on the sets in Walnut Grove! It will be held at Keystone Community Center and Library, 1101 Madill Street Keystone, SD 57751.

Friday, July 26  – Cast Meet and Greet 12pm-4pm ($12 adult, $6 child)

Saturday, July 27th – Cast Meet and Greet 10am-4pm ($12 adult, $6 child)
– 7pm Dinner, ($150)

Sunday, July 28th – Breakfast with Cast 8:30am ($100)
– Cast Meet and Greet 12pm-4pm ($12 adult, $6 child)

All Inclusive Ticket ($350)

Little House on the Prairie original cast members confirmed for the 2024 Carrie Days will include:

  • Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)
  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Grace Ingalls)
  • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)
  • Jennifer Steffin (Toddler Rose Wilder)
  • Olivia Barash (Sylvia Webb)
  • Victor & Tracy French (Children of Victor French-Mr. Edwards).

Click here for details and tickets: 

Little House on the Prairie 50th Anniversary-SD Tickets, Fri, Jul 26, 2024 at 12:00 PM | Eventbrite

50th Anniversary Cast Reunion – Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT – August 30-31 & September 1, 2024; three big days of a LHOTP 50th Anniversary Cast Reunion. (This event was originally scheduled to take place in Torrington, CT and has been moved to a new larger location. There have been other changes in addition to the location. All tickets already purchased will be honored at the new location.)

This event will help raise funds & awareness for a local not for profit Kids Play Childrens Museum, located in downtown Torrington, CT.

Little House on the Prairie original cast members scheduled to appear will include:

  • Susan McCray (casting director for LHOTP)
  • Todd Bridges (Solomon Henry)
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls)
  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • Melissa “Missy” Francis (Casandra Ingalls)
  • Alison Arngrim (Nasty Nellie)
  • Allison Balson (Nancy Olsen)
  • Lucy Lee Flippin (Eliza Jane Wilder)
  • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
  • Stan Ivar (John Carter)
  • David Friedman (Jason Carter)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Grace Ingalls)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)
  • Jennifer Steffin (Toddler Rose Wilder)
  • Olivia Barash (Sylvia Webb)
  • Matthew Labyorteaux (Albert Ingalls)
  • Gil Gerard (Chris Nelson)
  • Tony Becker (Zeke)
  • Brain Part (Carl Sanderson)
  • Victor and Tracy French (Victor French’s Children)
  • Josh Landon (son on Michael Landon)

Saturday Night – The Prairie Remembers Dinner will take place at the Connecticut Convention Center at 6:30 pm. The dinner will feature a delicious catered meal. The evening will pay tribute to amazing actors & cast members that are no longer with us. Cast members will share their stories of these amazing actors that are gone way too soon. Ticket price is $195.

Sunday – Little House on the Prairie Cast Breakfast will be held at 8:30 am with the LHOTP cast. Breakfast tickets are $100 each.

The LHOTP on the Prairie cast meet and greets be Friday 12pm – 4pm and Saturday & Sunday 10 am- 4 pm. Ticket Cost is just $20. The cast will be available for photos, autographs and will have a huge variety of their merchandise for sale. It will be held at the Connecticut Convention Center. Such a fantastic setting!

Other activities are being confirmed an added soon. More activities including an old fashioned marionette puppet show, MORE exhibits & displays, even MORE cast & guest stars & Little House on the Prairie: The Musical.

The following cast members were originally listed. No word if they were accidentally left off in the transfer or if they are no longer coming.

  • Karen Grassle (Caroline Ingalls)
  • Leslie Landon Matthews (Miss Eva Plum aka Michael Landon’s daughter)
  • Sherri Stoner (Rachel Brown Oleson, wife of Willie Oleson in the 9th season)

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/753166881417?aff=oddtdtcreator

Little House 50th Anniversary – Farm and Home Center – Lancaster, PA – September 3-4, 2024

Tuesday, September 3rd – Sold Out
Bright Sides Opportunity Center, 515 Hershey Ave, Lancaster, PA, 17603
Wednesday, September 4th
Cast Meet and Greet, 10am-5pm ($15)
Murder Mystery Dinner Theater, 7pm ($150)

LHOTP original cast members scheduled to appear will include:

    • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
    • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
    • Alison Arngrim (Nasty Nellie)
    • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
    • Wendi Lou Lee (Grace Ingalls)
    • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)
    • Olivia Barash (Sylvia Webb)
    • Jennifer Steffin (Young Rose Wilder)
    • Victor & Tracy French (Victor French’s Children)
    • Lucy Lee Flippin (Eliza Jane Wilder).

You never know who else will show up!

The Little House on the Prairie Cast Meet and Greet will be held Wednesday from10 am- 5 pm ($15). The cast will be available for photos, autographs and will have a huge variety of their merchandise for sale. It will be held at the Bright Side Opportunities Center in beautiful Lancaster, PA!

Murder Mystery Dinner Theater, 7pm ($150) – Dinner with the cast will take place at the Bright Side Opportunities Center at 7 pm. The dinner will feature a delicious catered meal. The evening with feature Cast members sharing their stories of their time working on this iconic TV show. And it’s a Murder Mystery! Who did it? ($150)

A VIP all access package will include: one ticket to the Wednesday LHOTP Murder Mystery Cast Dinner sitting directly at the table with cast member, access to the cast Meet & Greet, and a great souvenir swag bag! VIP Package is limited to 50 lucky VIP guests. Cost is $225. A once in a lifetime experience!

It all happens in Lancaster, PA on Wednesday September 4, 2024.

Ticket info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/792807006097?aff=oddtdtcreator

Johnny Cash’s Hideaway Farm – Lyle, TN – September 14-15, 2024
Two BIG days of fun on Johnny Cash’s Farm, as we celebrate 50 Years of Little House on the Prairie! Remember the Little House on the Prairie episode called “The Collection” guest-starring Johnny and June Carter Cash? “Nellie” confided to us that she was jealous she didn’t get to be in this episode because she wanted so much to meet them. “Mary Ingalls” said Johnny and June impressed her the most over any other guest stars on Little House! So – we took Mary Ingalls at her word, and decided to just make Nellie’s dreams come true by taking her to Johnny Cash’s farm in Lyles, Tennessee for one of our Little House on the Prairie 50th Anniversary Cast Reunion Fan Events – and YOU’RE INVITED to join us too!!

You’ll even get a chance to see a recreation of the outfits worn by Johnny & June from the Collection Episode, being created specially for this event by Laura Ingalls Gunn. She will have on display other costumes featured on the show! AND get this! You’ll get to see the original Bible used on the LHOTP set by Dabs Greer. Loads of surprises are in store.

The Little House on the Prairie Cast Meet and Greet – Saturday 10am – 5pm, Sunday 11am – 4pm ($25)

“Prairie Remembers” Dinner Original cast members honor the actors who are longer with us with their memories from the prairie, including June Carter and Johnny Cash. – Saturday, 7pm ($175)

Breakfast with the Cast – Sunday, 8am ($100)

Walnut Grove Style Church Service – Sunday, 10am. Hosted by Wendi Lou Lee and Charlotte Stewart

 

50th Anniversary – Christmas & Little House on the Prairie – Branson, MO – November 15-17, 2024

Branson Convention Center in Branson, MO on November 15-17, 2024 The cast plus all the sights, sounds and smells of Christmas! This will be Gravel Road Market’s largest gathering yet. It will be held at the Branson Convention Center which adjoins The Hilton Hotel! Plus a HUGE amount of the Little House cast, guest stars & crew!  The event will also feature over 100 vendors at the Prairie Village Christmas Vendor Market, featuring handmade crafts, antiques/vintage, boutiques, gourmet foods and so much more!

There’s even going be a Puppets on the Prairie, old fashioned marionettes puppet show. So much to do, so much to see. AND it’s in Branson, MO!
Three HUGE days of fun, as we celebrate 50 Years of Little House on the Prairie!
Saturday Night – “The Prairie Remembers Dinner” will take place at the Branson Convention Center at 7:00 pm. The dinner will feature a delicious catered meal in the beautiful Ballroom. The evening will pay tribute to amazing actors & cast members that are no longer with us. We will even have live music. You never know who will show up. Cast members will share their stories of these amazing actors that are gone way too soon. Ticket price is $195.
Sunday – Little House on the Prairie Cast Breakfast will be held at 8:30 am with the LHOTP cast. Breakfast tickets are $100 each.
The Little House on the Prairie cast meet and greet ticket includes:
  • Friday Night 4 pm -8 pm
  • Saturday & Sunday will be held from 10 am- 4 pm.
  • Ticket Cost is just $25
The cast will be available for photos, autographs and will have a huge variety of their merchandise for sale. It will be held at the Branson Convention Center.
A VIP 3-Day all access package will include:
  • one ticket to the Saturday Prairie Remembers Dinner
  • one ticket to the Sunday Cast Breakfast
  • 3 days VIP access to the cast Meet & Greets,
    a special invite to the private (invitation only) Friday Night gathering
  • a great souvenir swag bag! VIP Package is limited!
  • Cost is $600

Cast members scheduled to appear:

  • Matthew Labyorteaux (Albert Ingalls)
  • Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)
  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Baby Grace Ingalls)
  • Jennifer Steffin (Young Rose Wilder)
  • Olivia Barash (Sylvia Webb)
  • David Friedman (Jason Carter)
  • Tracy & Victor French (children of Victor French-Mr Edwards)
  • Peter Billingsley (Gideon Hale)
  • Jimmy McNichol (Harry Baker)
  • Rick Hurst (Jacob Johnson)
  • Martha Wade Nix (Dual Roles, Holly & Amy)
  • Rachel Longaker (Ginny Clark)
  • Sherri Stoner (Rachel Brown Oleson)
  • Tony Becker (Zeke)
Other activities are being confirmed and added soon.
For information email: gravelroadmarket@gmail.com.

Little House on the Prairie: The Musical

Liberty, Missouri
January 18-20, 2024
Basic Information:
https://kcparent.com/events/little-house-on-the-prairie-the-musical

Corbin Theatre
15 N. Water St.
Liberty, Missouri

PHONE: (402)917-4716
E-MAIL:  info@corbintheatre.org

White Bear Lake, Minnesota
January 26 – February 10, 2024
Basic Information:
https://www.lakeshoreplayers.org/little-house-on-the-prairie

Hanifl Performing Arts Center
4941 Long Ave.
White Bear Lake, Minnesota

PHONE: 651-426-3275
EMAIL: office@lakeshoreplayers.org

Spearfish, South Dakota
February 23-25, 2024
Basic Information:
https://www.bhsu.edu/about-bhsu/news-events/2024/02/Little-House-Musical

Woodburn Auditorium
1200 University Street
Spearfish, SD 57799-9502

PHONE: 605-642-6268
EMAIL: Casey.Hibbert@BHSU.edu

Griffin, Georgia
April 19-21, 2024
Basic Information:
https://camelottheatre.com/little-house-on-the-prairie

Camelot Theatre Company
205 Spalding Drive
Griffin, GA 30223
Phone: (678) 469-2913
E-mail: brad@camelottheatre.com

Morristown, NJ
May 11-12, 18-19, 2024
Basic Information:
http://www.spotlightkidscompany.com/tickets.html

The Greek Theatre in Morris Township
2 Convent Road
Morristown, NJ 07960
E-mail Contact Form:
http://www.spotlightkidscompany.com/contact-us.html

St. Redlands, California
Weekends August 24 – September 29, 2024
Performances: Friday – 7:00pm; Saturday – 2:00pm and 7:00pm; Sunday – 2:00pm
Special Weekday performances on September 26 at 7:00pm

Basic Information:
https://allevents.in/redlands/little-house-on-the-prairie-the-musical/200024885183332

LifeHouse Theater
1135 N Church
St. Redlands, CA

PHONE: 909-335-3037
E-MAIL: Contact Form

Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association

You have to be a member to sign up for these online events.

LIWLRA online all day conference – Feb. 10, 2024

Locations That No Longer Hold Events

  • American Printing House for the Blind – Louisville, Kentucky
  • Genesee Country Village and Museum – Mumford, NY
  • Heritage Hill – Green Bay WI
  • National Cowgirl Museum – Fort Worth, Texas

 

Sarah S. Uthoff is a nationally known Laura Ingalls Wilder authority and has presented at five of the Wilder homesites, many times at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, many conferences and numerous libraries, museums, and events around the Midwest. She is the main force behind Trundlebed Tales fighting to bring the History, Mystery, Magic, and Imagination of Laura Ingalls Wilder and other greats of children’s literature and history to life for a new generation. How can you help? Attend one of her programs, schedule one yourself, watch her videos, listen to her podcast,    look at her photos, and find her on    Facebook ,    Twitter ,   LinkedIn ,   SlideShare,   and Academia.edu . Professionally she is a reference librarian at Kirkwood Community College and former director of the Oxford (Iowa) Public Library.

Greenfield Village with Randomland

Sarah and Henry Ford Statue

Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford museum is an incredible site for social history. I just love it and even though I’ve only made it once, I hope to go back again. I’ve always been sorry it doesn’t get as much press as Colonial Williamsburg, but as time goes on from when I was a kid you don’t hear nearly as much about Colonial Williamsburg either. (2026 will be the 250th anniversary of 1776 come on people, we were much readier than this for the 200th.)

Henry Ford put together a collection of famous homes and businesses connected with famous people. Mostly people associated with the Midwest and the 19th century, but some other pieces of history from farther afield. I was thinking about it the other day and I thought, “hey, I’d like to see a trip video like people do for Disney for the Henry Ford. I wonder if anyone has done that?” Turns out they have. In fact I’ve watched Randomland for Disney related content before so I was glad when a search brought up a video from a trip he took there. It’s 37 minutes and still only the highlights, but it will give you the basic idea.

Either he didn’t do as much prep for this trip or I don’t know enough about the other places he visits to catch things he misses because he definitely missed stuff here.

  • That Bubble Top car? That was the car Kennedy was shot it though he mentioned it was Kennedy’s car briefly in passing this is THE car from the assassination.
  • Did Ford ask for the Presidential Limos back? Yes, that was one of Henry Ford’s plans. The Ford Motor Company provided the White House with cars for free on the condition that they come back to the company to be displayed in Ford’s museum. Ford’s ideas were either brilliant or kind of evil. This was definitely one of the brilliant ones. They only have them up as far as Reagan’s car. After that the secret service didn’t want them on display so the public could see the security features. I saw the thickness of the windows in Reagan’s car and some of the secret hand hold stuff, pretty impressive.
  • That Wright Model Flyer diorama? That’s a real life size recreation of the famous first flight photograph of the Wright brothers. It was not only famous it was on display right there by it.
  • The Thomas Edison complex? It wasn’t just built from some remnants. They moved not only buildings, but train car loads of dirt from where they originally stood to make sure they were also standing on the same ground as Edison used them. During Edison’s first tour of the completed recreation he got tired and needed to sit down. They brought him a chair and afterwards Ford had it nailed to the floor what a great story is that?

I also think he missed some major themes that reflected what Ford’s plan was for the village. He was telling a sweeping story starting with his own family and the Firestones and go on from there. (The Firestone company was owned by his in-laws and exclusively provided the tires for Ford cars until a series of blow-outs caused extreme liabilities on Firestone so Ford cut them loose in 2001 ending an almost century long partnership.) It includes where Ford first worked on technology, the lunch wagon he ate at, the original Ford Motor Company (recreation), and the chance to ride a real Model T around the grounds.

Another thread was the story of technology with a heavy emphasis on Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers and the agricultural leader Luther Burbank. He also had a thread on the arts including Robert Frost and Noah Webster. Then there are things that are majorly historic like the Abraham Lincoln things including one of the courthouses were Lincoln practiced law. Then the focus on everyday things like McGuffey’s one-room school.

He did mention the Disney connection, but he didn’t explain how similar the layout of both sites are including the steamboat that used to (and sadly doesn’t anymore) drive around a loop river. They really drove theirs though. We got a double ride because our captain was just being trained and she missed the stop.

There are a couple of more connections to add. Be sure to check out the touring plan podcast episode for the Henry Ford museum. Check out this post from when I talked about the Henry Ford museum and its Laura Ingalls Wilder connection. In this post scroll down to the part about the Mold-a-Rama.

Suwanee River Boat

Sarah S. Uthoff is a nationally known Laura Ingalls Wilder authority and has presented at five of the Wilder homesites, many times at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, many conferences and numerous libraries, museums, and events around the Midwest. She is the main force behind Trundlebed Tales fighting to bring the History, Mystery, Magic, and Imagination of Laura Ingalls Wilder and other greats of children’s literature and history to life for a new generation. How can you help?  Attend one of her programs,  schedule one  yourself,  watch her videos,  listen to her podcast,   look at  her photos, and find her  on   Facebook ,   Twitter ,     LinkedIn ,     SlideShare,   and  Academia.edu . Professionally she is a reference librarian at Kirkwood Community College and former director of the Oxford (Iowa) Public Library.

Say in a One-Room School Survey

One-Room School Teacher Cooking Cocoa
Cocoa in a One-Room School

An on-going project of mine has been collecting surveys about what people took to one-room schools for lunch. It’s a specific question, but since I’m interested in both historic foodways and one-room schools it’s a pretty good fit. I haven’t done the program in a while, BUT I have not one, but TWO possible bookings for it this fall. So I’m going to do another push if you know ANYONE who went to a one-room school please have them think about it and then fill out my form. If you know of a place where you can do handouts, please run them off and set out some forms. If you have social media accounts, PLEASE share out the link. – Very much appreciated.

Fill out the survey and share the link: http://tinyurl.com/1RmSurvey

Start With Research

I’ve collected information from parent and teacher magazines. (I’m also very distraught that there is a thesis from the 1910s I can’t lay my hands on.) I’ve also collected  government publications talking about what you should have for school lunch.

What People Really Took

One of my on-going projects has been a survey on what people actually ate.  I’ve been collecting surveys for what people remember taking. So far I’ve got 468 responses with answers coming from everywhere between Canada to Louisiana. Answers on what they took ranged from hoe cakes to ketchup sandwiches to a hot dog kept warm in a Thermos with string tied around the natural casing knot to pull it out.

Politics

I was surprised about how school lunch, or at least providing a hot school lunch, turned out to be a pretty political topic as it was an excuse given as one of the reasons to close one-room schools. Many creative efforts were made to fill the gap  (until the Thermos made it unnecessary).

I also found out that where you ate lunch turned out to be a problem, if you ate on your desk how did you get it or keep it clean? Plus, were students made to wash their hands? It’s lead me down a lot of interesting questions besides food.

Handouts

I’ve put together a presentation what I’ve got so far, but I’m still going to be collecting surveys. So if you went or taught in a one-room school or know someone who did, please fill out the survey and spread the word.

Here is my latest update of my Handout 2018 about what I’ve learned so far. I’ll put out an updated handout including what I’ve learned since out this fall.

Sarah S. Uthoff is a nationally known Laura Ingalls Wilder authority and has presented at five of the Wilder homesites, many times at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, many conferences and numerous libraries, museums, and events around the Midwest. She is the main force behind Trundlebed Tales fighting to bring the History, Mystery, Magic, and Imagination of Laura Ingalls Wilder and other greats of children’s literature and history to life for a new generation. How can you help?  Attend one of her programs,  schedule one  yourself,  watch her videos,  listen to her podcast,   look at her photos, and find her  on   Facebook ,   Twitter ,     LinkedIn ,     SlideShare,   and  Academia.edu . Professionally she is a reference librarian at Kirkwood Community College and former director of the Oxford (Iowa) Public Library.

Mitchell South Dakota Corn Palace 2024

I was very excited when I saw the 2024 designs for the The World’s Only Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. Each year they do over the magic decorations and this year the theme is famous South Dakotans. Guess who made the list?

Corn Palaces Images for 2024 – With Permission

What is a Corn Palace?

Interior of Corn Palace

“Crop Palaces” were a thing started in the 1880s. They were designed to celebrate a particular crop that was substantial in the area, as a tourist attraction, and to help convince more people to move to the area. They were built like a fairy tale palace or something an Imagineer would design for something short term.

The palaces were inspired by the St. Paul, Minnesota and Toronto, Canada ice palaces. The first built in 1887 in Sioux City, Iowa was a corn palace, but the craze took off like wild fire. According to The Forgotten Midwest: “By 1890, there was a bluegrass palace, a hay palace, Forest City’s flax palace, and a sugar beet palace in Grand Island, Nebraska, followed in the next years by a grain palace, broom palace, and more and more corn palaces.” My personal non-corn favorite is the coal palace in Ottumwa, Iowa.

These buildings were mostly constructed out of whatever they were celebrating on wooden scaffolding. They weren’t constructed to hold up well to the elements, they were fire hazards, rotted, and attracted all kinds of birds and animals to eat them. Even though they accomplished their goals about attracting more people and getting the names of the different cities out there they didn’t necessarily make back all the funds it took to construct them.

When Sioux City gave up its palace, Mitchell, South Dakota stood up to create their own in 1892. The craze faded, but Mitchell didn’t give up. In 1919 they decided they were going to permanently keep their Corn Palace going. Their palace was different because it was designed to be a regular real building just with swoops, spires, and decorations using real corn on the inside and an an ever changing outside design. The inside space is used for tourists over the summer and the rest of the year it’s a gymnasium space used for sports and concerts. The current building was completed in 1921 with a remodel in the 1930s adding more of the original corn palace fantastical look to the building. Their website explains about the decorations that “The Palace is redecorated each year with naturally colored corn and other grains and native grasses to make it ‘the agricultural show-place of the world’. We currently use 12 different colors or shades of corn to decorate the Corn Palace: red, brown, black, blue, white, orange, calico, yellow and now we have green corn!”

There is even a book: Corn Palaces and Butter Queens: A History of Crop Art and Dairy Sculpture by Pamela H. Simpson.

Has Laura Appeared on the Corn Palace Before?

Soooo has Laura Ingalls Wilder appeared on this Midwestern icon before? Not quite. I had remembered reading about Laura being on there somewhere… so I reached out to the corn palace a few years back. They didn’t have any record of it.

However, I kept looking and I discovered the Spring-Summer 1984 issue of Laura Ingalls Wilder Lore (Ed. William T. Anderson) had reported that a scene of the Surveyor’s House would appear during the 1983-1984 season complete with photo. The image showed the Surveyor’s House, but not any people so not Laura herself.

2024 Designs

The World’s Only Corn Palace shared out the designs behind the coming year’s art on their Facebook page and gave me permission to post them here. There are 9 “scenes” spread around the building. The famous South Dakotans included in the designs are – the 1964 Olympic runner Billy Mills, Basketball coach Mike Miller, Basketball coach Becky Hammon, Wild Bill Hickcok, Medal of Honor winner and former South Dakota governor Joe Foss, Native American artist Oscar Howe, astronaut Charles Gemar, Bob Barker, and Laura Ingalls Wilder. You can see the Laura image design below is heavily borrowing from the Pioneer Girl cover.

Close Up of Laura Part of Image

I hope you can get a trip arranged out to South Dakota next summer to see it.Work has started already getting the designs changed over for the 2024 year designs. “Jeff Hanson, the supervisor of decorating and maintenance for the palace, said a crew of 15 started in May by taking down the old corn and grain. They just finished putting up the new sour dock grain that borders the mural in July. Hanson said they will start to take down the actual corn in mid-September and the whole building should be done by Thanksgiving….He said over 400,000 people come through the Corn Palace every year.” (via Keloland)

The corn is specially grown by “Local farmer Brett Lowrie, from Mount Vernon [South Dakota], contracts to grow the colored corn for the Corn Palace. ‘It all started with Indian corn where kernels were hand-separated into like colors from the multicolored ears. Those kernels were then used to keep color purity,’ he explains. ‘Today, I plant 3 to 3.5 acres each of 10 colors. We also buy a green corn and use my yellow field corn. I plant 160-foot-wide strips of soybeans or grain sorghum in between to keep from cross-pollinating.’ Though Lowrie employs the same fertility and crop-protection program across all his corn acres, the colored corn is planted at a lower population of 12,000 plants per acre. It’s also harvested sooner — at about 40% moisture — to keep the ears from breaking when they are cut and nailed to a mural. Ears that are 8 or more inches long work best for the artwork. “I’m more concerned about ear size than I am about yield,” Lowrie says, “but in the end, I get anywhere from 60 to 100 bushels per acre.” (via Progressive Farmer)

Learn More at These Websites

World’s Only Corn Palace
https://cornpalace.com

Corn Cam of the Palace
https://cornpalace.com/157/Corn-Cam

Travel Information
https://www.travelsouthdakota.com/trip-ideas/story/visit-worlds-only-corn-palace-mitchell-south-dakota

https://www.keloland.com/keloland-com-original/mitchell-corn-palace-festival-celebrates-130-years

https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/news/article/2023/09/01/palace-prairie

Sarah S. Uthoff is a nationally known Laura Ingalls Wilder authority and has presented at five of the Wilder homesites, many times at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, many conferences and numerous libraries, museums, and events around the Midwest. She is the main force behind Trundlebed Tales fighting to bring the History, Mystery, Magic, and Imagination of Laura Ingalls Wilder and other greats of children’s literature and history to life for a new generation. How can you help?  Attend one of her programs,  schedule one  yourself,  watch her videos,  listen to her podcast,   look at her photos, and find her  on   Facebook ,   Twitter ,     LinkedIn ,     SlideShare,   and  Academia.edu . Professionally she is a reference librarian at Kirkwood Community College and former director of the Oxford (Iowa) Public Library.

Dean Butler at Pepin’s Laura Days 2023

Gracie and Dean Butler – Photo courtesy of Shirley Marie

We’ve been concerned about Pepin’s Laura Days the last few years. Several regular volunteers had stepped down from their positions and no one knew if it was going to stay working. As of this year they could still use more volunteers, but I’m glad to say it looks like it will keep going. Plan to attend next year and if you have skills and/or time I’m sure they’d still want volunteers.

This video news story comes from September 10, 2023. This year they had Dean Butler who played Almanzo Wilder on the NBC Little House on the Prairie TV show as a special guest. People I’ve talked to who were there said they had a great crowd which is good to hear. They hadn’t done TV show guests before.

https://www.weau.com/2023/09/10/little-house-prairies-dean-butler-laura-ingalls-wilder-days 

The news story shows a couple of examples of adults in costumes because it’s really the best place for historic clothing for both kids and adults be sure to wear yours if you go.

Another piece of news I hadn’t heard is that Sue Fedie is leaving as director. She’s been the director there since 2019 (I think) and there have been a lot of changes in the museum during her time there.

They did a short interview with Dean Butler and the most important thing he said was this.

Dean Butler: Michael Landon said to all of us that people will be watching “Little House” long after we’re all gone. You know when I first heard that at the age of 25 I don’t know that I really believed it. Now at 67 I absolutely believe that people will be watching and loving “Little House” long after we’re all gone. I know that when I breathe my last breath my last breath the first line in whatever obituary is written about me will include “Little House on the Prairie” and I’ll be very proud of that.

I wish I’d been able to get to Pepin, WI this year. Put it on your schedule for next year.

Sarah S. Uthoff is a nationally known Laura Ingalls Wilder authority and has presented at five of the Wilder homesites, many times at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, many conferences and numerous libraries, museums, and events around the Midwest. She is the main force behind Trundlebed Tales fighting to bring the History, Mystery, Magic, and Imagination of Laura Ingalls Wilder and other greats of children’s literature and history to life for a new generation. How can you help?  Attend one of her programs,  schedule one  yourself,  watch her videos,  listen to her podcast,   look at her photos, and find her  on   Facebook ,   Twitter ,     LinkedIn ,     SlideShare,   and  Academia.edu . Professionally she is a reference librarian at Kirkwood Community College and former director of the Oxford (Iowa) Public Library.

September 2023 Laura Ingalls Wilder Events

Sarah at Coralville School
Sarah at Coralville School

September is always a big Laura Ingalls Wilder month. It has 2 of the big events for homesites, Pepin, WI and Mansfield, MO, and another event in Malone, NY. Sadly the Hoover Library isn’t doing its Laura Ingalls Wilder Remembered event though. Catch the podcast for more.

Pepin WI

Laura Days – September 9 & 10, 2023
This is their big Laura event of the year. Traditionally they include the most participants (including adults) who dress in prairie clothes, a regional fiddle contest, and a Traditional Crafts demonstration area. This year is a fresh start, but it’s hard to say at this point what will be included.
Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder) is their speaker.

Mansfield MO

Wilder Days and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Fiddle Off – September 22-23, 2023
Annual celebration commemorating Laura Ingalls Wilder, America’s favorite pioneer girl, and her cherished Little House books. We will be having our 8th Annual Fiddle Contest on Wilder Day. It will be a great day to enjoy fiddle music on the property as well as to hear Pa’s Fiddle played.
Please come out and enjoy the festivities. Visit our Facebook page for more info.

Fundraising Dinner – September 22, 2023
The 6th Annual, “Wilder Dinner.” Patrick Labyorteaux, who played Andy Garvey on the NBC TV series, will be the special guest.

Malone/Burke NY

Annual Harvest Festival & Civil War Living History Encampment – September 23 & 24, 2023
Civil War living history encampment
Pumpkin painting and children’s 19th century game in the orchard, children’s corn pit in the barn,
Adult juried art show on display
Entertainment, demonstrators, craft & produce

Cast Reunions at Non-Homesite Towns of More than 3 Cast Members

Orlando, FL
Fanboy Expo Orlando Convention
September 1-3, 2023
Get Tickets, Fan Packages, Photo Ops and Autographs
www.fanboyexpo.com/orlando

  • Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls)
  • Karen Grassle (Caroline Ingalls)
  • Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)
The Pioneer Woman Mercantile Event Center in Pawhuska, OK
Here is the ticket link to the Saturday Night, Little House Murder Mystery Dinner on September 23, 2023
The Little House Murder Mystery ticket link: ⬇️
Only 100 tickets will be sold for the Little House Murder Mystery! This premiere evening event also features a professional photo with you and the cast members.
This event will be part of The Prairie Folks Antique & Craft Festival to be held on September 23/24 at the OSAGE County Fairgrounds in Pawhuska, OK!
Featured cast will be:
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)
  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Baby Grace Ingalls)
  • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
  • Patrick Labyorteaux (Andy Garvey)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)
  • You never know who else will show up!

The Prairie Folks Antique and Craft Festival
Pawhuska, Oklahoma
September 23-24, 2023
The Prairie Folks Antique & Craft Festival on September 23/24 in Pawhuska, OK!

  • Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • Patrick Labyorteaux (Andy Garvey)
  • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Baby Grace Ingalls)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)

Birthdays

Alice Wilder was born September 3, 1853.

Sarah S. Uthoff is a nationally known Laura Ingalls Wilder authority and has presented at five of the Wilder homesites, many times at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, many conferences and numerous libraries, museums, and events around the Midwest. She is the main force behind Trundlebed Tales fighting to bring the History, Mystery, Magic, and Imagination of Laura Ingalls Wilder and other greats of children’s literature and history to life for a new generation. How can you help?  Attend one of her programs,  schedule one  yourself,  watch her videos,  listen to her podcast,   look at her photos, and find her  on   Facebook ,   Twitter ,     LinkedIn ,     SlideShare,   and  Academia.edu . Professionally she is a reference librarian at Kirkwood Community College and former director of the Oxford (Iowa) Public Library.

August 2023 Laura Ingalls Wilder Events

My 1st trip to Pepin

It’s August and for August we have an unusually big group of events again this year. August might join July and September and become our 3rd big month We’ve got an interesting spread of events both geographically and by type of event. Catch the podcast for more.

Listen to it now or find it where you find your podcasts.

Pepin WI

Home at Laura’s Place – 9:00 am to 5:00pm (2nd weekend, Saturday and Sunday)

August 12-13, 2023 – This is the last time they’re going to do this this year, but we hope it picks up again in 2024.

Visit the Little House Wayside in Pepin, WI on these special weekends to see the cabin fully furnished and re-enactors demonstrating the arts of daily living in the 1870s.  This is a cooperative activity of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Days Committee, and the Austin Tea Party Players.

De Smet SD

August 11– 13, 2023 – The Ingalls Homestead is hosting a Plein Air Event (painting in the open air) in conjunction with the Harvey Dunn Society. Find more details about a previous event. –   The event ends with the wet sale (the newly painted works) on Sunday the 13th.

Spring Valley MN

Ag Days (formerly Wilder Fest) August 18-20, 2023

Malone/Burke NY

Almanzo and Laura Ingalls Wilder Anniversary Celebration – August 25, 2023
Lemonade and Cupcakes, free admission for people with the same anniversary (must show proof)

Cast Reunions at Non-Homesite Towns of More than 3 Cast Members

Grand Rivers, KY
Join the Little House on the Prairie cast members as we head to Patti’s 1880s Settlement on August 25-26 in Grand Rivers, KY! The weekend as a whole features several different dinners, breakfasts, book signings, and even a church service. Of special note is “The Prairie Remembers Encore Dinner at 6:30pm, inside the Saloon…The dinner will honor many of the LHOTP cast members that have passed away.” The actual schedule seems to be in a lot of flux and events are selling out fairly quickly. They have links to purchase tickets, but no summary page. My best advice is to check out Jack Bishop’s Facebook page where he is posting most of the information as he gets it.
August 25 and 26, 2023

  • Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)
  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Baby Grace Ingalls)
  • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
  • David Friedman (Jason Carter)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)

Mayfield, KY (Faces at the Window)

Cartwright Grove in Mayfield, KY, located at the Mayfield-Graves County Fairgrounds. “The Prairie Remembers” Encore Dinner at 6:30pm, inside the Saloon. Link for tickets for Cartwright Grove:   Cartwright Tickets Sunday (August 27th) start out at Cartwright Grove with an old fashioned “Walnut Grove” free church service at 8:00 am held at the little church in Cartwright Grove. This will be hosted by Wendi Lou Lee and Miss Charlotte Stewart! The Cast (Sunday, August 27th) Meet & Greet will happen from 9 am until 1pm at Cartwright Grove. Those tickets are available now. AND we will have authentic stagecoach rides from 10-1 at Cartwright Grove on Sunday. (Some of this verbage was borrowed from Alison’s newsletter.)

Nashville, TN
Little House on the Prairie Riverboat Dinner Cruise will be aboard the General Jackson Showboat on Sunday, August 27, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee for a 3 hour dinner cruise event!
August 27, 2023

  • Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)
  • Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)
  • Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
  • Wendi Lou Lee (Baby Grace Ingalls)
  • Pamela Roylance (Sarah Carter)
  • Jennifer Donati (Baby Rose Wilder)
  • and you never know who else will join us!The night will feature an amazing TN BBQ buffet dinner, live entertainment, a special live auction and a Q & A by the LHOTP cast members. Cost is $165 for adults and $130 for children 12 & under. Here’s the ticket link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/648228237107

Wendi Lou Lee Book Release

August 13 – Lee’s book, Red Tail Feathers: Dare to Discover the Beauty of Grace: A Memoir

Family Dates

Caroline Celestia (“Carrie”) Ingalls, born in Montgomery County, KS – August 3, 1870

Baby Boy Wilder (infant son of Almanzo and Laura Ingalls Wilder) died in De Smet, SD – August 7, 1889

Almanzo James Wilder married Laura Elizabeth Ingalls, in De Smet, SD -August 25, 1885

Charles Frederick (“Freddie”) Ingalls, died in South Troy, Minnesota – August 27, 1876

Sarah S. Uthoff is a nationally known Laura Ingalls Wilder authority and has presented at five of the Wilder homesites, many times at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, many conferences and numerous libraries, museums, and events around the Midwest. She is the main force behind Trundlebed Tales fighting to bring the History, Mystery, Magic, and Imagination of Laura Ingalls Wilder and other greats of children’s literature and history to life for a new generation. How can you help? Attend one of her programs, schedule one yourself, watch her videos, listen to her podcast,    look at her photos, and find her on    Facebook ,    Twitter ,   LinkedIn ,   SlideShare,   and Academia.edu . Professionally she is a reference librarian at Kirkwood Community College and former director of the Oxford (Iowa) Public Library.

July 2023 Laura Ingalls Wilder Events

Sarah in Covered Wagon at Walnut Grove MN 2022July is the biggest event month of the year and it’s exciting to see everything that’s going on. I’m sorry to miss the Third Laura Ingalls Wilder event in De Smet, but only found out after my summer plans were set that it was happening. I’m glad my friend Kelly and me are going to take a super quick run up to Walnut Grove to see their new pageant after the classic one ran for 45 years I want to see what they do next. I’m not speaking at any of the events this year, but feel free to tell them you want me to next year!

https://www.blogtalkradio.com/trundlebedtales/2023/06/29/july-2023-laura-ingalls-wilder-update

Pepin WI

Home at Laura’s Place – 9:00 am to 5:00pm (2nd weekend, Saturday and Sunday)

  • July 8-9, 2023

Visit the Little House Wayside in Pepin, WI on these special weekends to see the cabin fully furnished and re-enactors demonstrating the arts of daily living in the 1870s.  This is a cooperative activity of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Days Committee, and the Austin Tea Party Players.

Independence KS

Carrie Ingalls Swanzey Birthday Party – Saturday, July 29, 2023 – 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Walnut Grove MN

This year starts a brand new trilogy of plays in place of the Fragments of a Dream pageant. The 1st play they put on for this new series will actual be the 2nd one in the trilogy. The first in the trilogy will be closest to traditional Fragments of a Dream so they are skipping on to the 2nd one. It’s called Chasing the Dream, 1875-1876.

  • July 7-8, 2023
  • July 14-15, 2023
  • July 21-22, 2023

Family Festival held in Walnut Grove City Park on pageant Saturdays, July 8, 15, and 22, 2023. The festival goes from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm Check the Walnut Grove website for full schedule and more details as it gets closer. On July 15th William T. Anderson and Cindy Wilson of Beautiful Snow will be there.

De Smet SD

  • Heart of the Prairie
    An original production, is described as featuring Laura and early De Smet history.
  • July 7, 8, 9, 2023
  • July 14, 15, 16. 2023
  • July 21, 22, 23, 2023
  • Gates Open 6 pm, Performance at 8 pm

First School event – July 15, 2023

De Smet Event #3 (name not official)

  • July 22, 2023
  • 10 am – Judy Thompson – Artist who did covers for Pioneer Girl Project
  • 1 pm Cindy Wilson – Author of The Beautiful Snow
  • 2 pm William Anderson
  • July 23, 2023
  • 2 pm William Anderson

Mansfield MO

  • Independence Day
    The Fourth of July is always celebrated in Mansfield, Missouri. Parades have been a tradition here since the days of Horses pulling Decorated Wagons and Buggies. Today we all celebrate Independence Day in Mansfield with a Parade, Festival and Fireworks.
  • Rocky Ridge Adventure Pioneer Camp – July 24-28, 2023
    The Laura Ingalls Wilder Home Association “Rocky Ridge Adventure Pioneer Camp” for the 2023 season! The camp will be for children ages (9-12). Camp will cost $TBA per child and will include a week of exciting adventures around Rocky Ridge Farm. Campers will enjoy many learning activities, bringing a hands-on perspective to the pioneer lifestyle. Email: liw.pioneercamp@gmail.com Camp will take place, rain or shine!! Your child will not want to miss this special week of historic fun and memories!!!! Register today and reserve your spot! What is included from last year’s post – Registration cost includes 5 days of camp, tin cup, badge, book, shirt and a hat (bonnet for girls and coon skin cap for boys). For more information, call 417-924-3626.

Malone/Burke NY

  • Celebration of Youth and Morgan Horse – July 16, 2022
    Children’s art on display, along with students’ essays. Award ceremony and the announcement of Honorary Laura and Almanzo
    Kids art activities, 19th century games, vendors, food
    Entertainment & more!
    Dean Butler who played Almanzo Wilder on the TV show will guest.
  • Annual Cultural Festival – Scottish Fling – July 15, 2023

    Our annual cultural events will resume this summer with our 2nd Scottish Fling! Come enjoy the enchanting sounds of bagpipes, watch traditional Scottish dancers, and try some Scottish fare, as we celebrate the influence of the Scots in rural northern NY when the Wilder family lived here. Vendors invited.

Keystone SD – Longtime Home of Carrie Ingalls Swanzey

Carrie Ingalls Swanzey’s Birthday Party – Friday July 29 – Saturday July 30th for a small event with activities, music, and birthday cake.

Old World Wisconsin – Eagle WI

Old World Wisconsin is returning to Laura Ingalls Wilder events in a different way. They are offering camps. Search their events page for Laura Ingalls Wilder to pull up more information or book tickets.

Little House Adventure Summer Camp – One day adventure camps for kids held 3 different times. Registration is a separate fee. Kids ages 8-10.

  • Thursday, July 6, 2023| 10 am – 3 pm
  • Thursday, July 20, 2023 | 10 am – 3 pm
  • Thursday, August 10, 2023 | 10 am – 3 pm

Little House Family Adventure Summer Camp – One day camp for kids and adults to go together. It doesn’t say so, but I think they expect you to bring a kid if you’re an adult.

  • Sunday, July 30, 2023| 10 am – 3 pm

Nelson Pioneer Farm – Oskaloosa, Iowa

  • Laura Days – July 11 – July 28, 2023
    Three different series of craft activities will be offered every Tuesday-Friday throughout July. This is not a day camp. The goal of this program is for the adults and children to do the activities together. Adults must remain with their children. Most activities are designed for children ages 6-10. Any special notation regarding ages or skill levels are listed with the activities. Or a modification will be available. Younger siblings are welcome to join in to the best of their ability! Each day we’ll feature a building or exhibit before heading to the craft barn to make the craft.

Project Archeology

July 14-15, 2023
Blue Earth, MN
Project Archeology teaches classes for teachers. You have to register before hand, but can get both Continuing Education (MN) and college credit. This class must be pre-registered for and costs $129 for Continuing Education credit and $152 for College Credit. There are only 16 spaces available. As you can see in the agenda the focus is on more general 19th century Midwest farm archeology.
Website for Class
Agenda for Class

The Wilder Podcast

This short term podcast recorded information over last summer and has produced a short run format podcast. I was one of the unnamed voices in Part 1. They just released Part 4. Find it on I Heart Radio or check wherever you get your podcasts. I’m saving comments until the end, but they keep saying AlmOnzo. 😦

UPDATED July 5 2023: I added the information I just got from Keystone.

Sarah S. Uthoff is a nationally known Laura Ingalls Wilder authority and has presented at five of the Wilder homesites, many times at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, many conferences and numerous libraries, museums, and events around the Midwest. She is the main force behind Trundlebed Tales fighting to bring the History, Mystery, Magic, and Imagination of Laura Ingalls Wilder and other greats of children’s literature and history to life for a new generation. How can you help?  Attend one of her programs,  schedule one  yourself,  watch her videos,  listen to her podcast,   look at  her photos, and find her  on   Facebook ,   Twitter ,     LinkedIn ,     SlideShare,   and  Academia.edu . Professionally she is a reference librarian at Kirkwood Community College and former director of the Oxford (Iowa) Public Library.

In the Kitchen With Laura Maple Syrup

My In the Kitchen With Laura posts and videos bring you into the kitchen with Laura Ingalls Wilder as we learn about historic cooking.

Tapping Tree Display with Wooden Buckets

Almanzo Wilder Farm

Recently the Almanzo Wilder Farm shared a short video on maple syruping. They created it last year and this is a shortened version. Malone, New York an area known for producing sap and the host (the guy in the overall in the left of the preview) takes you through the sugaring equipment they have on display in the museum and shows you how it changed over time.

Now Laura’s big description of sugaring is actually in Little House in the Big Woods. Non-sugaring people think first of making maple syrup from the sap in maple trees. Sugaring people tend cook down to maple sugar, too, because it stores better and is more useful. It takes roughly 39 gallons of maple sap to cook down to 1 gallon of syrup and you can cook that 1 gallon of syrup into 8 pounds of maple sugar.

Lynne Belluscio

Modern Syrup Cookers

To get more information I interview Lynne Belluscio whose family were long time sugarers. She takes us through all the various stages. We find out that Laura’s sugar on snow candy is actually still a thing call Jack Wax by sugarers. Learn everything you ever want to know about Maple Syrup and Syruping listening to my episode at the link below or search it by name on your favorite podcast distribution system.

Lynne messaged me: “Maple syrup to sugar. What I have is 1 gallon of maple syrup will make 8 pounds of maple sugar. That seems like a lot to me, but I’ve never made that much sugar. It takes a lot of energy to stir that much sugar. Although you can just pour it into a bar. I just bought a little sugar bar tin pan. It looks like a little bread pan. I also found the Silvernail family book. “When my mother was six years old (this would be my grandmother Maude Silvernail Marvin – my mother’s mother) her father contracted to operate a sugar bush, assisted by his two sons and his wife. Grandmother stirred maple syrup into a ton of maple sugar of the clear light colored most delicious kind. My grandmother was born in 1882 so this story of sugar would be 1888.”

“Always glad to share. I should add, that I have several of the wooden buckets from the Silvernail family that came to me from my mothers cousin. The other story, which is sad. My mothers sister lived in the north country of New York. They had a beautiful old sugar bush. Trees that could take 6 spiles. When the needed money and just before they sold the farm, the sold off the sugar bush and the trees were used to make bowling pins.”
Hear the rest of my full interview with Lynne in the podcast episode below.

Ep 86 Lynne Belluscio and Maple Syrup History and Practice
Original Airdate March 31, 2017
Join host Sarah Uthoff as she learns about maple syrup tradition and creation. Lynne Belluscio’s family has collected and processed maple syrup for years. Get the full story behind making maple sugar and maple syrup, plus the story behind the dance at Grandpa’s in Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Maple Syrup played a vital role in the history of the county’s diet providing a cheap sweetener. We’ll also talk about maple syrup today.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/trundlebedtales/2017/03/31/ep-86-lynne-belluscio-and-maple-syrup-history-and-practice

Modern Sugar Tapping

There are lots of events focused on the history maple syrup this time of year. They often have displays of the history of the process and have demonstrations including a pancake breakfast to get a taste. Then you can buy syrup processed right there and sold.

Today modern large-scale maple sugaring takes a much different method. Tubes are strung from tree to tree to gather the sap. They use a vacuum to help collect the sap and then process it. Sadly this method removes the community element from the process and a lot of social mores that were attached, but it does make a lot more maple syrup available at a cheaper price.

Find out more about modern syrup production. There is even a maple syrup strategic reserve in Canada.

Modern Sugaring Tap Tubing

Sarah S. Uthoff is a nationally known Laura Ingalls Wilder authority and has presented at five of the Wilder homesites, many times at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, many conferences and numerous libraries, museums, and events around the Midwest. She is the main force behind Trundlebed Tales fighting to bring the History, Mystery, Magic, and Imagination of Laura Ingalls Wilder and other greats of children’s literature and history to life for a new generation. How can you help? Attend one of her programs, schedule one yourself, watch her videos, listen to her podcast,    look at her photos, and find her on    Facebook ,    Twitter ,   LinkedIn ,   SlideShare,   and Academia.edu . Professionally she is a reference librarian at Kirkwood Community College and former director of the Oxford (Iowa) Public Library.

Laura Ingalls Wilder in 2022 Roundup

Every year I devote an episode to my podcast on what’s happened in Laura Ingalls Wilder fandom during the previous year. This is the one for 2022. I recorded it 2 ways, as an episode on my podcast and as a Facebook Live. My headlines for what happened are below the links for both.

https://www.blogtalkradio.com/trundlebedtales/2023/02/18/ep-136-laura-ingalls-wilder-fandom-roundup-2022

For those of you watching on Facebook you can probably go in about 10 minutes there is a bit of filler as I’m getting set up and probably another 10 minutes after I ended the episode where I responded to questions.

Pepin

Pepin began a monthly living history event – Home at Laura’s Place

Cemetery Walk Oct. 29

Independence

Prairie Days

Walnut Grove

I presented at Walnut Grove for their Pageant’s 50th Anniversary and made it into their 50th reunion photo.

The WG Pageant has been republishing on social media highlights of historic pageant programs

Sept 30 pageant had meeting for input on their new 5 year plan

Update to a previous post about the wagon wheels needs repairs (Nov. 2022):
Rick & Bill removed the wheels from the covered wagon, and they loaded all 8 wheels into the back of Bill’s pickup for a ride to the repair shop in South Dakota. Now both the covered wagon and the buckboard wagon wheels are off the wagons!
Several lessons were learned during the task, one side of the wagon turn to the left to loosen the wheel, and the other side turn to the right, wagons weigh more than you think, a pole used as a fulcrum works really well to lift the wagon, wear old clothes because there is a lot of grease. That being said, it also teaches that you can teach an old dog new tricks. Don’t be afraid to take on new challenges.
 

WG Pageant cuts off live chat on their website January 9, 2023

2nd year of Loose Gravel  Music Festival

Burr Oak

Zoomed annual meeting in 2023

Had a couple of fundraisers including Laura’s Sack Lunch Drive-Thru Meal 

Held big coloring contest for children 8-10, the winner will be displayed all year.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Days  June 24-26, 2022, Guest Star Wendi Lou Lee “Baby Grace”

One-Room School donated, moved in school, full basement underneath next to Masters Hotel
$5000 McElroy Trust Grant to help repair the flooring in the one-room schoolhouse, and pour a concrete ramp and entrance into the building. They received 4 other grants this year.

They created a Little Library this year. It’s decorated as a covered wagon.

De Smet

Pa’s tombstone returned

On the Prairie- An original production, is described as featuring Laura and early De Smet history for their pageant.

De Smet holiday pageant “A Barrel Full of Christmas Memories Radio Play”, this year on both Facebook and as a ticketed live event

Laura’s Corner started in De Smet News aka Kingsbury Journal

The De Smet Memorial Society started regular short Facebook lives

De Smet Memorial Society started a Flat Laura and added interactive kiosk

MS started traveling exhibit “Drawn to the Land” pop up

De Smet was voted Best Historic Small Town in America last year 2nd, this year 6th

Graphic Design Intern to design stuff this last summer

Mansfield

Rocky Ridge Adventure Pioneer Camp, joins Spring Valley with having a summer daycamp

  • Wilder Days and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Fiddle Off – September 23-24, 2022
  • Jean C. Coday Day at Rocky Ridge Farm – November 5, 2022

 The Laura Ingalls Wilder Children’s Literature Festival – November 3-4, 2022

Mansfield awarded their Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal to Louise A. Jackson at Laura Ingalls Wilder Children’s Literature Festival

Fallon & Wilkinson, LLC continue restoration work with Mansfield Sleeping Couch

Selling boxes of original edition sets of Rose Years in wooden box

Wilder Days t-shirts sold

Mansfield Area Historical Society and Museum has new building modeled after depot

Painted green trim on Rock House say Laura’s favorite color is green

Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival – Marshfield, Missouri – More “Little House” TV Cast

Malone

Dean Butler did 4 Farmer Boy readings as part of a membership campaign

Keystone Area Historical Society – new director Casey Sullivan

Others

LIWRA started online events

I started posting YouTube videos again

Little House on the Prairie: The Musical  staged in local productions

My First Little House Bear Sets from Queen Treasures introduced

Pomona Public Library – Pomona CA – The Annual Laura Ingalls Wilder Gingerbread Sociable was not held in 2022, but is expected to return in early February 2023.

Nelson Pioneer Farm – Oskaloosa, Iowa- Laura Days – July 5 – July 29, 2022

Quote Investigator did “Home is the nicest word”

Books

Back to the Prairie: A Home Remade, a Life Rediscovered by Melissa Gilbert

Freedom’s Furies: How Isabel Paterson, Rose Wilder Lane, and Ayn Rand Found Liberty in an Age of Darkness by Timothy Sandefur

Sarah S. Uthoff is a nationally known Laura Ingalls Wilder authority and has presented at five of the Wilder homesites, many times at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, many conferences and numerous libraries, museums, and events around the Midwest. She is the main force behind Trundlebed Tales fighting to bring the History, Mystery, Magic, and Imagination of Laura Ingalls Wilder and other greats of children’s literature and history to life for a new generation. How can you help? Attend one of her programs, schedule one yourself, watch her videos, listen to her podcast,    look at her photos, and find her on    Facebook ,    Twitter ,   LinkedIn ,   SlideShare,   and Academia.edu . Professionally she is a reference librarian at Kirkwood Community College and former director of the Oxford (Iowa) Public Library.