Little House on the Prairie

 

National Women's History Month is a dedicated month to reflect on the often-overlooked contributions of women to United States history. Laura Ingalls Wilder has made quite an impact throughout history and that impact still continues today. Throughout her lifetime, Laura seemed surprised by her readers’ admiration because, as she told reporters, “I didn’t know how to write. I went to little red schoolhouses all over the West and I was never graduated from anything." However, Laura came from a family that valued learning—books, poetry, music, and storytelling. Her mother Caroline Quiner Ingalls had been a schoolteacher and insisted that her girls—Mary Amelia, Laura Elizabeth, Caroline Celestia, and Grace Pearl—needed a proper education, even on the frontier. In large part because of that, Laura herself became a teacher and a writer whose work has had historical, cultural, educational, and social significance throughout history. For years, Little House on the Prairie has inspired crafts and DIYs that reflect the pioneering spirit of Laura and her family. Join us in celebrating National Crafting month by making simple and beautiful handmade crafts that will delight your friends and family, and fill you with the pride of a project well done. March 14th was National Pi Day. Sure, Pi Day is about math, but thankfully, someone made it fun and tasty with pies. It’s not too late to celebrate by making some of these delicious pies inspired by Little House on the Prairie. You’ll even use a little math while you’re measuring out those ingredients! The Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival, Marshfield, Missouri, April 23-25: Enjoy fun activities for the entire family and opportunities to buy crafts, food, books, and many other wonderful things. Among the many special guests attending the 15th Annual Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival this year are “Little House on the Prairie” stars Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson), Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle), and Wendi Lou Lee (Baby Grace Ingalls). The Festival is open to the public and most events that do not include food are free. Be sure to check the schedule for specific dates and times for the events. Click here for more information. Little House on the Prairie The Musical, Anchorage, Alaska, April 23-26: Little House on the Prairie, The Musical follows the Ingalls family’s journey westward and their settlement in De Smet, South Dakota where Ma and Pa Ingalls had hoped to make a better life for their children. Audiences also follow Laura’s journey from a child who loved to run free to a woman who embraces the responsibilities of her own future while remaining true to herself. Through song and dance, we see the Ingalls overcoming the hardships of winter blizzards and prairie fires as well as rejoicing in their shared successes. Click here for more information. This month, we’re spotlighting Pioneer Girl Perspectives: Exploring Laura Ingalls Wilder, edited by Nancy Tystad Koupal and published by South Dakota Historical Society Press. Pioneer Girl Perspectives sheds new light on the story behind Laura’s original manuscript and examines the ways in which the author and her daughter and editor, Rose Wilder Lane, worked to develop a marketable narrative. The essay contributors delve into the myths and realities of Laura’s work to discover the real lives of frontier children, the influence of time and place on both Laura and Rose, and the role of folklore in the Little House books. Together, the essays give readers a deeper understanding of how Laura built and managed her story.