A Foray Through the Farmhouse and Rock House where the “Little House” Books were Written
MANSFIELD, MO. – The popular Little House on the Prairie television series, based on the books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, aired from 1974 to 1983. The real-life experiences of Laura and her family, surviving the harsh winter climate of the Midwest, years prior to today’s modern conveniences, are simply fascinating. The show captured the strong family bonds Wilder painted in her book series of the same name.
The Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and Homestead comprise over 150 acres of original property. There are two homes located on the property, the original farmhouse where Laura and Almanzo first lived and had their daughter, Rose, and the rock house located a half mile from the farmhouse, a labor of love the Wilders’ daughter, Rose, had built for her parents’ retirement years. Laura and Almanzo lived in the rock house from 1928-1936, then moved back to the original farmhouse, known as ‘Rocky Ridge Farm’, citing the reason: “We were homesick for the old place”, said Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Parking is available at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, with an accessible walking trail to the two historic homes located nearby. At the museum an 8-minute film provides a brief background of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life. Wilder speaks at various segments of the film and David Wilson serenades the audience by playing Pa’s well-recognized fiddle in the background.
The museum displays everything from Pa’s famous fiddle to a handmade quilt by Laura’s older sister, Mary, to several sets of collectible dishes, antique furniture owned by Laura and her husband, Almanzo, and decades of historic relics in-between. The state-of-the-art museum and original farmhouse, along with the rock house located a half mile away, are collectively filled with nearly 3,000 artifacts. The Laura Ingalls Wilder Home Association, a not-for-profit organization’s mission statement is: “The mission of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum is to inspire curiosity and foster learning about the American pioneer experience through the life and literature of Laura Ingalls Wilder by providing engaging and authentic experiences; to preserve, protect, and care for the collection and historic buildings; and to sustain the historic landscape.”
The classic white-sided farmhouse, which came to be known as ‘Rocky Ridge Farm’, was the original homestead. It was located on 40 acres, purchased by Almanzo and Laura Wilder. Originally, the home was a one-room log cabin.
Laura Ingalls Wilder was 90 years old when she passed away. No one, other than her small family of three, resided in the farmhouse. It was turned into a museum three months after her death in 1957. The museum, including the original homestead, rock house, and newly constructed large structure for ticket sales, historic relics, the film, and a gift shop, opened in May 1957. It is said that over 500 people visited on opening day. The museum is reported to receive 25,000 guests a year.
What the old farmhouse lacks in modern amenities, the rock house the couples’ daughter, Rose, had custom made for her parents, more than made up for. This home, from the Sears, Roebuck, and Company Catalog, was an English Cottage Plan. Rose’s plans for her parents’ retirement home were fully erected in December 1928, when she provided the keys to the English cottage to her parents, just in time for Christmas. Laura and Almanzo lived in the home for over seven years. Laura wrote the first four ‘Little House on the Prairie’ books from the comfortable quarters of the rock house, nearly one-half mile from the original farmhouse.
One of the first sights to see at the lovely rock cottage is the enchanting wooden dome front door, original to the home. The furniture, still dotting the inside of this glorious home, was purchased by Rose from Heer’s Department Store in Springfield, Missouri. The ornate wall sconces and glossy wooden floors are original to the home. The Wilders’ daughter spared no expense in erecting a retirement home she felt worthy of her beloved parents.
Rose became a famous, well-traveled author and was able to afford her hard-working parents the luxuries they likely could not have procured themselves. Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote the first four books in the Little House series from the rock house, during the couple’s retirement. When they moved back to the farmhouse, she completed the second half of the well-known series. Rose assisted her mother in transferring her handwritten tablets to typed manuscripts, primed for publication.
The Wilder’s daughter, Rose, was their pride and joy. A well-educated and well-traveled young lady, she made her living as a freelance writer and wrote for several noteworthy publications, a few of which include: Harper’s Bizarre, Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, McCall’s, Sunset, The Country Gentleman and The Saturday Evening Post. Rose Wilder Lane was known for her attentive caretaking of her parents from a young age and well into adulthood. “Happiness is something that comes into our lives through doors we don’t even remember leaving open.”, said Rose Wilder Lane.
As previously stated, Laura was 90 years old when she passed away in 1957. Almanzo, 10 years Laura’s senior, lived to 92 and died in 1949. The couple is buried, along with their daughter, Rose, in the Mansfield Cemetery.
The Home Association offers several seasonal opportunities for kids and adults to appreciate the grand significance of this treasure trove of memories, located in the heart of the Ozarks. Annual Wilder Days typically runs toward the end of September. There are two summer day camps for kids and there is a Children’s Literature Festival each Fall, in the Mansfield Community Center, where guests can visit with local authors and hear stories from their publications. Lastly, Breakfast with Nellie takes place at the Spring fundraising event, Cherry Blossom Festival, in Marshfield, Missouri, each April. More information can be found online at: www.lauraingallswilderhome.com, or by calling 417-924-3626.
