Following the Trail of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little Houses 

I was probably in second or third grade when i found laura Ingalls Wilder books. I had a big imagination so i could imgine myself back there with laura. Her books were fascinating so i couldn't put them down. She was so full of spirit and curiosity just like me. I also had wandering feet. I've read all her books. I am a senior now and always wanted to visit the museum. I don't think I'll make it now but I'll meet up with her in heaven one day . Along with pa !

So wonderful to see so many people interested in Laura's history. Heartwarming.

Fascinating! I never cared for the stories until my ex wife made me watch them on DVD, many years later. She even suggested this tour. I would still do it, even with her!

Love from Greece, I grew up with little house in the prairie, it was my favorite and i have to admit it still is. My children grew up with this to. I am 53 years old and I still love it

I went on my Little House vacation 4 years ago when I was 53. I have always been a real fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder and I can tell you it was the best vacation ever. We left from NY and the vacation took 3 weeks. I visited all of Laura's homesteads. I just loved it. Des met and Missouri were awesome. Saw everything from her birthplace to her grave. If you are a fan I highly recommend the trip. The next year we went to upstate NY to visit the Wilder farm in Malone. Also highly recommended .

I am crying w/ tears of joy; because....Laura lived it + wrote about it & its my favorite book series ( + I adore all things Laura ) & have always wanted to make the same trips to all locations you were at....because You filmed this & shared you have made my mothers Day...BTW I'm disabled & could not make the trip now ( & it was my life's dream to go); so because you took the time out of your life to film & share...you have made my dreams come true & gave a little bit of Laura back to all of us who loved her...& the same generosity you have shown IS the message I get back from Laura's life~Blessings to you & yours~... Words can't do justice to having ones own dream come true, due to the actions of a stranger~ THANK YOU~

I've watched Little House on the prairie with my mother growing up It was truly the only time it was really bonded. I wish I was on that trip with you guys with my mother because it would have been a dream come true. Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us. The fans and love of Laura and Almanzo

I drove 1,000 miles round trip just to see Pepin Wisconsin and the location of the Ingall’s Family “little house in the big woods.” I cried as I sat under a shade tree and contemplated the love that was shared by the Ingall’s Family. The heartfelt stories I recalled from the books written by Laura Ingall’s. Then my mind went to the hardships endured living in a time before modern medicine, before electricity, the automobile, and so much more. A simpler time when ma’s and pa’s and their children went to church on Sundays, when families gathered at the table for supper, when hunting and fishing didn’t require a license and both were done not for sport but instead to feed your family.

It is nice to see the different places that Laura Ingalls has lived at and traveled to.

I'm 59 and watched as the TV series unfolded. Have and will always be a little house fan🌹

I grew up with little house on the prairie and still is my favorite show the best show on tv in my opinion thank you for posting this very interesting and its a blessing to see for those of us who cant afford to travel to these places ourselves

I only read the books but loved them! Plum Creek and the Prairie is quite like I imagined. Thanks for this... It's nice to see other people as passionate as I about her

I loved watching this show growing up; and the re-runs were always welcome. Thank you Laura Ingalls Wilder for sharing you're life with us., I'm very grateful🙏💖💖,,, and we love you.

This was our first time at these sites, so I can not comment on changes over time, but it was a fun trip for us. Thanks for watching.

The pictures of the sod house/dugout location are fascinating. I can picture the isolation they would feel - the dirt and dark. And the fear of a horse's hoof going through the roof!

My 9 year old daughter is doing a report on Laura Ingalls Wilder and we just watched your videos from your different trips to the museums, and have enjoyed them very much. Thank you for the time you put into these movies. We appreciate them.

Thank you so much for this... I've always adored the little house stories always wanted Charles Ingalls to be my dad :) or husband either would do, he seemed like such a lovely man... This is somewhere I will never get to visit in my lifetime so I really cant thank you enough for posting it xx

I really love history and I would love to go to Laura's houses and visit Walnut Grove

My 20 year old daughter and i have made a pact we would go to walnut grove and some other places like you have done.. this was probably the most justice you could have done all of us that love the ingalls and wilder families.. thank you so much for sharing this.. ~debbie crowe

How lovely I need to go and see how and where Laura Ingals and her family lived. Just reading all of her writings have been making it more real life.

This has been my dream for a long time to do this, so thank you very much for sharing your experience with us! I've only ever been to the Mansfield Missouri homestead, which is the last place that Laura and Almanzo lived at. It's well worth seeing if you ever get to do it!

I was always fascinated that they knew exactly where that dugout was. This is really neat. If I got to go there I'd have to go wading in Plum Creek.

My mom read these books to me at bed-time back in the 1970's. LOVED this series-- and actually would enjoy reading them again!

I am 48 and grew up watching this show and reading her books and past all that on to my 2 girls who loved it through there childhood as well. Even tho my girls are now 18 and 23 we all still love watching the episodes together! This video you have made was so great and lots to see! I have always wanted to travel to see all the places she’s lived but never could.... so thank you!!

I was in DeSmet with my daughter summer of 2017. Fun to revisit through your vid! The books are awesome - should be required reading for American kids.

I started reading this series in 4th grade and spent many wonderful hours right along side of Laura. Thank you for helping me complete one on my bucket list! 😊❤️

I grew up not far from Walnut Grove , Minnesota.. it truly shows you her true life…from the tv show. In real life the railroad came through Walnut Grove in the 1870’s from Winona, MN , Rochester, Owatonna, Mankato, Walnut Grove , Sleepy Eye on on to the Black Hills and Deadwood. I love our prairie and just beautiful.

How wonderful to be able to see the places i’ve Read about so many many times since I was a child. I absolutely LOVE the Laura Ingalls Wilder books and would love to visit all of these places one day. Brilliant!

I grew up watching little house on the prairie and loved it , I just finished watching the series again with my husband and just recently bought the books , visiting all of these locations is on my bucket list for sure, something about Laura ingall Wilders life just has me captivated.

I am watching this in January 2021. Your video is timeless.

My goodness! Almost like being there myself. Thank you so much for letting us ride along in your back seat. We appreciate your commentaries and explanations of what we are seeing. You are a great travel guide!

Great video ..... one of my favourite author ..... her books always transported me to her times ......

Thank you o much for this, you have no idea how happy I am finding this treasure of a video.

My favorite childhood series is Little House on the prairie 😭😭😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I can't believe that you found all these places I wish that I could go there.you are really good at finding those places where Laura lives

Thankyou so much for making/posting this video! I'm Extremely infatuated with the Laura Ingalls Wilder stories! I'm hoping that I can visit all of these places someday!! Until then, I'll just have to continue watching videos of other ppl visiting.

I am a blind fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder biography from Bangladesh 🥰💕🇧🇩

Thank u for uploading this! I’m a fan of Laura Ingals Wilder. I’m Mary Ann from Philippines

What a treat for me! I probably won’t ever get the chance to visit in person. Thank you very much!

I lived in Pepin Wisconsin for many years. We have had picnics at the replica cabin both inside it and in the shelter. My nephews grew up just a little ways from the cabin. If you keep going past the cabin there's a round barn on the right. They lived across the road. I'm glad there are people who keep the museum and cabin going

Laura & Almonzo lived in Florida for a short time as well as Washington State for a time. Her actual writing desk that she wrote all of her little house books on, etc. is still inside her Rocky Ridge Farm house in Mansfield, Missouri.

I'm from Sri Lanka and apriciate her historical anthology greatly

Thank you,I enjoyed this. Cuddles from Canada 🇬🇧🇨🇦🌺🌸🌺

Thank you so much for these videos! I live on the east coast of Canada, this would be a dream tour for me!

Laura Ingalls' dugout house is an amazing one. thank you to share the video of the trails...

This was so totally awesome! I always wanted to see these sites and you did a beautiful job! Thank you such much!

This is so nice of you, theres not just me but others too, who cannot make it to sight-see this place,.Can't even afford to get out shopping in my own town,.Probably y I like those days and wishing at times it would b back in the days,.Don't even have fresh water anymore, its scary what comes out of my taps,.I love horses and wish I had a horse to ride,.I really thank-you for this video,.

OOOO! I just purchased the annotated copy of Laura's "Pioneer Girl" today--It was released in November 2014

love your video. Her series of books were the first ones I read as a child. I felt so proud after I read all of them. I learned so much about how to be a good son, then husband, and now father, because of what I learned about life from her stories about her family.

I really enjoyed this video and your easy-going detail. Thank you.

Thanks so much for this video. I practically know all of Laura's books by heart, I have read them so many times. I would love to follow the trail as you did but probably will never get the opportunity, so thank you for the virtual tour!! Laura described that all of her houses growing up were small, but to see the actual size was quite a shock. Great job!!

My favorite books series also. I was so happy to discover them at the library. I was about 11.

Thank you so much I grew up watching Little House and would love to see all this in person but know I never will. Thanks again

thanks so much for taking the time to make and post this!

I did not realize there was a museum in Pepin, I will have to take my kids to it in the spring. Thank you for the very well done video.

Wow thanks for posting. I loved that show and our girls do also. I could spend hours in those museums . We are watching the six seasons of Little house right now. So interesting. I will never be able to afford to go see that stuff.

This is a great video - thank you so much for sharing !! From Germany with love - God bless you !! 🍃

Thank you very much for making this lovely and great video. It is amazing i can sit here in Denmark and see this. I love it. THANK YOU .

This definitely a to do on my bucket list. I find history very interesting. I am from Canada

I love this tape! Thanks for sharing!

VERY well done!! Not sure how I came across this video, but I landed on it and watched it. Never watched much of the TV show but I read all the books for Lit class in college. This brought my memories of the books alive. Have to admit, those books were a fascinating read, even for a guy. Good job and thanks for posting. - Brian

Really nice seeing all those places. I appreciated the tour of the area.

just love the series little house by Michael landon this stepping back in time is truly heartwarming laura was a wonderful woman as the entire family was :)

Thank you for visiting, taping & posting this. :)

Thank you so much for posting this video. I live in another country so would never have gotten to see this in real life. You made it like seem as if I was right there.

What a fun video. Thanks for sharing with us. I suspect the Ingalls and especially Charles would have loved to see what became of his homesteads and the towns he settled in.

That was so fascinating! I tried to be there in their time while watching this. I have a great interest in Laura and her family.

I saw a quote from this lovely woman in my book and i just had to do some research! So glad I came across this video!!

I have really enjoyed this - I love the slow pace of filming and btw, you have a lovely speaking voice too. I could listen to you for hours. Thanks for taking the time to do this. I'm in the UK but hope one day to travel to the US and this would be on my list of places to see.

I have always loved this type of stuff and big fan of the prairie too

Love this and your voice sounds so familiar. I believe (or it seems to me) I was out at Laura's home at Mansfield the same time you were. I remember standing and talking to a man that sounds so much like you. It's been a few years back! lol. dunno. anyway, thanks so much. love this video

They have Laura Ingalls Wilder days in September every year. This year the guy that played Almonzo was there signing autographs. This past summer they had events at the cabin once a month.

For anyone wondering about the Ingalls Homestead in DeSmet, SD (starts at 15:14) or the Pageant in this video:Pageant (he is talking about it at 22:52 ): Since 5 of the 9 books Laura wrote take place in DeSmet, we do a pageant every year and it is one of Laura's stories every year. The rotation starts over every 4th year (we don't do a pageant over the 5th story she wrote about life in DeSmet because so many bad things happened to her that year and it is just sad for people to watch : their house burnt down, their only son was born and died, and Almanzo had health issues). the books we do it over are: By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, and These Happy Golden Years.2016 Pageant will be "The Long Winter" and will be held July 8,9,10, 15,16,17,22,23,24 (3 weekends in July). Last year's ticket cost was $12 for adults $5 kids 10 and under. I don't know what the ticket cost will be this year, though.The pageant is very amazing, and I highly recommend everyone to go to it! I go to it every year, it is so fun! They have a concessions stand and a gift shop on the pageant grounds as well.Ingalls Homestead is open Memorial Day to Labor Day (regular hours) and after Labor Day (half day hours) Regular hours are 9:00 - 7:00 (with last wagon ride to the school at 6:00, visitor's center closes at 7:00) there are many fun activities that you can do (WE ARE KID FRIENDLY, unlike most of the other places) and there is a TON of information you can learn from all of us who work there and know how to answer most any question you throw at us (some of us know a little more than others, or a little different information than others, so even if we can't answer your question right then, somebody else who works there can).This video is a great video, but because the person making the video doesn't have kids traveling with him, so he did not get to catch all the great fun activities we have for kids! Also, everyone is a kid at heart, so even if you are not a little kid, you can still do the activities!There is also the Ingalls Home in town that can be toured as well as other buildings (including Laura's real school, we just have a school that looks a lot like the one Laura taught at)Hope to see you all this summer at the Pageant and at the Homestead!

I just stumbled upon your Laura Ingalls Wilder videos. I would love to visit some of the places you visited and recorded on your videos. Many times when I come home from work, I like to alternate between watching "Little House on the Prairie" or "The Waltons" during dinner time. I find watching both of those shows to be relaxing, peaceful, while feeding my heart, soul, spirit, and mind with good & enlightening lessons to learn. I just watched an episode of "Little House on the Prairie" tonight during dinner time. It was titled, 'Gold Country, part 2" about people panning for gold in South Dakota and how some people let dollar signs and greed get to their heads and they end up doing selfish and bad things because they focused their minds on striking it rich, etc. I really enjoyed your video. I felt like I was traveling with you. I haven't been on vacation in a very long time. So, I'm thankful & appreciative of RU-vidrs such as you who show and share your travels with us. There are many people who haven't found the time to explore the great places that the U.S. has to offer. Videos like yours help us learn more and help us decide where we would like to visit in the future. Thank you for taking the time to share these videos with us. Keep up the good work. I wish you a good week, & a great Fourth of July holiday! :-)

I really enjoyed this. Thanks for posting it : )

Thankyou so much for doing this it is amazing, I love the books and the show and i really wanted to see the places and have never been able to find a tour like this and i dont have much chance of seeing them myself anytime soon - I'm only 14 and in the uk- and so this is absolutely great!

First time watching. Loved little house on the prairie.

Thank you so much for sharing this. I know it was several years ago that you posted this but I am really enjoying it. I will watch the Rocky Ridge farm one next. We were in Mansfield in Nov. and visited the museum, farm and rock house. They wouldn't let anyone take pictures or videos. :(

The cabin near Pippin COULD have been that big. Pa would have had help to build it, from family. If you ever get to Mansfield, Missouri, don't even BOTHER to take your camera.... you can't even take photographs.... we enjoyed it very much, but found the ladies that ran it to be rather crabby and not overly friendly.

I am THRILLED that I just happened to stumble across this video!! I just spent the last half an hour living vicariously through your trip-you can't imagine how happy this has made me!! I absolutely adored all the Laura Ingalls Wilder books when I was growing up, and have read them over and over. I didn't really her House in the Big Woods is only about 5 hours from my home. It is incredibly difficult for me to travel, due to a spinal injury 10 years ago and 4 subsequent failed spinal surgeries. But if I take it slow-and can convince my children(who are in their early teens and not interested in much of anything besides video games), maybe we could make it to the home in Pepin, WI. I always loved that part of her books the best.

Thank you from someone who will never be able to see it otherwise! Loved it.

I love her very much!

Thanks in the name of all the people of Loved and Love the Iconic Serie and just cannot go to visit the museum.

OMG!! I have loved these books since the 5th grade. My math teacher would finish our lesson early every day and read one of Laura's books for the last 15 minutes of class. That is when I started loving books and history and Pa, Ma, Jack, Laura and the rest of the family including the Wilders. I taught my girls to read using these books. Thank you for the videos!!!

I love the little house on the prairie tv series. I was born a month after the first episode aired. I have watched the entire series is on DVD. That I checked out at my local library.

nicely done video. thoroughly enjoyed watching this. Would like to now travel to Walnut Grove.

Never had much use for the show wile I was coming of age in the 70s. Oh but Christ, give me those days now. For we today, live in a cesspool.

Thank you for taking me on vacation with you, so I didn't have to deal with car problems.

I'm so appreciate that you show me these video,so thank you very much sir and I have ever read these classic series many times in a couple year ago and I love it.

Im from Independence, Ks, born and raised. They've had a museum outside town for years, but lately are doing alot more tours it seems like.

That was cool, wish could see more of the objects inside museum though.

My mom went to the Walnut grove one with her mom back in '83 when she was 10, she said At the play Mrs Olson (Katherine McGregor) was a few rows behind her, it was a 2 day show but the 2nd day was canceled because there was a tornado warning in the town of Tracy.

@14:35 all that untouched land. I love it

Thanks for the comment. We really enjoyed the trip.

Thanks for the comment. It was wonderful to see the real locations, not just the holywood imitations.

Dude,, You are miss one site,, There is a Small Parcel of Land just along Hwy 71 South out of Windom Minnesota a couple of Miles that Charles Homesteaded before ending up in Walnut Grove Minnesota,, Most People do not know of its existence. It has been turned back into original Prairie Grasses with a sign Posting of ownership of Charles.

I have the collection DVD of Little House On The Prairie! Love them!

Very nicely documented video and so interesting! Thank you!

Sir, Thank you so much for taking the time out make this video and posting on you tube for Little house fans to see! I appreciate it! Happy holidays and hope you have a very Merry Christmas at plum creek! : ) 2013!!

Thank you for doing this!!! This may be as close as I get to going.... God bless you