The Life & Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder 

the fact that Laura didn't start writing her books until she was 60 yrs old is inspiring for all of us.

Charles Ingalls claimed a LOT of land. He was one heck of a man. Caroline must have REALLY loved him to go through all of the hardships and moving from place to place. Once you start having children, you are supposed to grow where you are planted. Moving from place to place via covered wagon dodging arrows in the freezing, windy weather with children requires a certain kind of strength and stamina. I have nothing but admiration for the entire Ingalls family.

I'm almost 60. Like many people my age, I grew up with Laura's books and actually became obsessed. I do have all of her books now and I STILL read them. I also have a few of the biographies OF her. Some facts I didn't like to learn of as I grew up. 🥺

As a history buff and huge fan of the books, I really appreciate this excellent presentation. The historical background fleshes out the stories giving them more depth and understanding. Fantastic!

I'm from Sri Lanka.. I grew up with Laura books. They are the most warm books ever written.

To anyone really interested in LIW, I highly recommend the book, “Pioneer Girl, The Annotated Autobiography”. Highly. I checked mine out from the library at least three times, before I bought one. It’s NOT a read through story, so say, though. It’s kind Of a cross between a reference book, and a read book. It’s hard to explain. But it’s really really excellent. It has pictures of as many of the principal players that the editor could find, and updates on them.

I am 42 years old. I read the series as a child. My 10 year old daughter just read the series in earnest!

Almanzo was a looker and Rose a beauty! Given all of the events and details, I am even more impressed than ever at Michael Landon's ability to bring those individual life events into the storyline of the television program. Of COURSE it is Hollywood and geared toward dramatic audience entertainment, but he drew from facts and true events that were treated with compassion and real-life emotion. I thought he was very respectful and true to Laura Ingalls Wilder's memories. And while this family might appear to have much "bad luck" and trauma; this was life for most people in the early years of our nation. We are so spoiled now and feeling we are somehow "entitled" to constant happiness and comfort that we don't realize how people suffered and lived through hardship just as part of everyday life.

I loved your presentation. The books are childhood treasures. I never tire of hearing about LIW, the stories, the history, the family, and all that.

I read the books so much the school library gave them to me and order new ones

Her life inspires me because it shows us what resourcefulness, determination, faith and positivity can do, how strong we CAN be if we need to. Though physical work then was harder, i envy the simpler, slower-paced time she lived in. I'd gladly trade our traffic, deadlines, and stress for a life where sunrise and sunset were the main deadlines in a person's day.

I remember reading her books as a little girl and wondering about the woman who wrote the books. What a fascinating adventure through American history.

I really enjoyed the presentation! I grew up reading the Little House books, I'm 62 now and I still enjoy reading them. I'm excited to hear that there are audio books of the series too! I loved Laura's strong work ethic and her love for her family. I'm disappointed that Laura and Rose had such a difficult relationship. I'm sure that she did help put a polish on Laura's writing and should have received recognition for her effort, but to completely ignore her mothers wishes and will the rights to a stranger of the family who really had no interest in Laura's legacy except for the $$$$ seems especially nasty slap on the face of Laura & Almanzo's memory. In my opinion...

We have all her books as my girls were growing up I read all her books to them before bed so many memories

Meredith Tomeo did a good job with this presentation. I hope she has done more of them on a variety of American authors.

I loved Little house on the Prarie I watched it from beginning to end Im 59 years old and watching this makes me excited like a kid Its so wiered I told my husband yesterday I want to watch Little house on the Prarie and when I turned on my tablet, There it was without me typing it in Wow..... I'm still watching and listening Its hard to let go I always loved and cried when I watched Little house on the Prarie How I wish I was born back in the 1800's I wrote a paper in school about my wish and when my teacher read it she cried Im so happy and greatful and honored to be watching and listening Sincierelly, Mrs. Ashley

I'm 12 and read the books

I'm 57 years old and I have always loved all of her books. I've been listening to them again recently on my earpods at work and I want to thank you for this, it's very interesting and you did a wonderful job.

I am 36 now and for as long as I can remember, I have been reading Laura's books. I read them, even now, as an adult and I enjoy her story just as much now as I did when I was a child. And not only have I read the classic Little House series, I have read her daughter's series, her mother's series, her grandmother's series AND even her great-grandmother's series. I think that's what I not only love, but RESPECT about Laura Ingalls and this incredible story she has woven about her life on the prairie with her family....that unbreakable spirit that her family had. Her courage and tenacity and that unwavering faith that no matter how bad things got, be it storms or Indians or ruined crops or having to leave home and find a new home....they would be OK so long as they were together and had Pa's fiddle music and faithful old Jack to guide and comfort them. She truly is an American heroine. That is why her stories will never die. Interestingly enough, while the family's time in Iowa is never mentioned in the books, I distinctly remember, in the last season of Little House On the Prairie (season 9, I believe) there WAS a major shift in the dynamic of the show. Pa decided to move most of his family (He and Ma, and the younger children) to Burr Oak, Iowa and I believe it was to run a hotel. Laura and Almanzo remained behind in Walnut Grove with their little daughter, Rose. Mr. Edwards was there as well, and he became like the father figure to the town and Laura's niece, Jenny (the daughter of Almanzo's brother, Royal) came to live with Laura after her father died. It was interesting....from what I have read of Laura's life with Almanzo, she DID have two children (as she did on the show). She had her daughter, Rose, and they also had a son who died. Mary also had two children with her husband, Adam, but they both died (one in a fire and one as a miscarriage). I'm not sure if Mary Ingalls ever actually married or had children. I know she was stricken blind from Scarlet Fever in real life and Laura had to become her eyes and had to take on a lot of the dreams that Mary could no longer do....like becoming a teacher to help her Pa keep Mary in school.

I have loved the "Little House" books since I was a child. I also found the book Caddie Woodlawn in the library and loved that book too.

I thoroughly enjoyed your presentation. I have been a teacher for 40 years and always included a special pioneer theme unit for each of my classes - right down to the bonnets. It has been a real joy to have shared Laura Ingalls Wilder with my students. I even had a student who was related to Laura. I will be retiring soon and plan to visit Rocky Ridge and the Wilder Farm in Malone NY. Thank you for all your hard work to keep Laura’s legacy close to us still. 🌺

I'M 57 BEEN A HUGE FAN OF LAURAS SINCE I WAS 9 MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAD A BOOK SALE EVENT & I SAW HER BOOK THAT THE PILOT WOULD SOON BE BASED ON I WAS HOOKED IMMEDIATELY FROM THAT BOOK SALE ON & STILL AM TILL TODAY & FOREVER FYI I STILL REMEMBER THE MOMENT I SAW THE BOOK I REMEMBER IT SO CLEARLY!! 🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

I love everything Laura Ingalls Wilder! 🥰

I loved this presentation. I was born in 1973 and grew up reading her books❤️❤️❤️

I read the books as a child & watched "Little House on the Prairie". I still watch Little House when I catch it on tv. I really enjoyed this video, I did learn some things I didn't know. Thank you so much for posting this video for everyone to watch & learn.

Thank you for this! Well Done! I had been watching the movie ("... Beyond the Prairie"), and then, before finishing it (I had to let my dog outside, and I had to look for the movie, when I came back to finish watching it), I saw this video, and I decided to watch it first. This was REALLY interesting, and I appreciate the time and the work it took for you to compile this information together, and to obtain photographs, and to travel to locations to take the rest of the photographs. It reminded me of stories that my father had told me about the cold weather, etc., in Wisconsin and South Dakota. His parents came to the U.S. from Norway, and they first settled in Wisconsin and then South Dakota. His father changed the family name from "Brunn" to "Brown," because he wanted to be seen as an American, and not as an immigrant from Norway. My grandmother, Laura Olson (or "Olsen;" I need to look at my father's death certificate to see the spelling of his mother's maiden name; it is interesting that the real last name of "Brunn" is on this death certificate, so it looks like the name change of my father's parents was not official, though the children were all listed with the last name of "Brown") died from the flu in 1918, when my father was 6 years old. My father had an interesting and unusual life, that he had wanted someone to write about. He died in 2001 from a brain tumor, at the age of 89 years old, and my mother died in 2015, at the age of 95 years old. Your video has inspired me to write about my parents' lives. Thank you for "opening my eyes" to possibilities.

I found out that I'm related to Laura distantly on several lines, through Pa Charles's mother Laura Louise Colby. A lot of Colbys (traced to Massachusetts) in my lines.

Thank you for uploading this presentation. I appreciate the stories and facts.

I've been binge watching Little House for 3 days now. Surprised at how much fiction is involved in the storytelling, and yet so entertained with each episode. Had no idea they moved around so much. I'm thoroughly enjoying this presentation, and am only halfway through. I will save this upload for future reference. Kudos to this young lady for doing such a nice job keeping a 50yo man's attention- no easy feat, if I do say so myself. Be well, all 👍✌️

Absolutely fascinating. I enjoyed this so much, having read the Little House books to my sons, now in their fifties! Some of the photos were new to me.

In the late 1980s I visited the "little house by Silver Lake." The week that I visited was 100 years after Laura and her family lived in the small house. That week there were torrential rains and Silver Lake was full...the first time in 100 according to the your guides!

My love Laura Ingalls brought us through so many Great hardships.

FYI 17:00 Book mentioned. "Caddie Woodlawn" by Carol Ryrie Brink. I appreciate you putting it into a historical setting because, as a Canadian, I don't know that much about the history and geography of the US. Which is probably the same for her other fans around the world. Also, this is the first time I've heard anyone give details about how Charles and Caroline Ingalls met. Very informative, interesting, and well researched. A good enhancement to anyone interested in Laura and her "Little House" books. Thank you. LL

I was in still am a huge fan of the show Little House on the prairie later read the books I found this talk to be fascinating and learned a lot of things I didn't know before thank you very much

A very interesting presentation. I very much enjoyed it. I always love Learning something new about Laura Ingalls wilder. One thing that I learned from this presentation was that the picture of the three girls taken in the 1880s, was the only surviving picture from their childhood. I have always loved this photo. And the fact that I study fashion history, an interesting thing I have learned over the years is, that even though folks did not have much money, ladies still were able to dress fashionably. And these dresses the girls are wearing are dresses are very much of the styles of the 1880s. I believe the presenter thought it was an extra fabric underneath Laura’s skirt, thinking that the skirt was too short. Which is understandable, however, it was actually the style of the time to have an extra flounce at the bottom of the skirt. It kind of mimicked the bustle that was very popular for the women at that time. Again, I really enjoyed the presentation I did learn new things and now I want to go visit all the sites that she saw on her trip. Thank you for sharing this presentation on RU-vid.

Great presentation. I have over 100 books about Laura but I still learned a few things. One thing though, her husband’s name is pronounced AlMANzo. The show got it wrong, just ask Dean Butler who played this character. Awesome job, I need to read the books again.

Excellent Presentation!!! I’ve been to the Kansas house, where the dugout was, to the Florida location, to De Smet, and to Rocky Ridge TWICE because I lived just an hour south of there.

I grew up reading the Little House series and am always fascinated by information about Laura and everyone else in her family. My bucket list includes going to all of the Little House sites.

This was a great presentation. Very interesting and very informative. Thank you for this. I read her books as a child and read them to my children and my granddaughters. During this pandemic stay at home I have reread all the books.

It's so nice to hearing the actual thing and all pictures that you took .Thanks for sharing uesful information about the books .

A few answers to some of the questions from people in her audience. When Laura and Almanzo lost everything and were recovering from Diphtheria, they lived and recovered about a year with Almanzo's family in Spring Valley, MN before going to Florida. Carries's story is pretty interesting. She worked for the local papers then married David N. Swanzey when she was in her 40's, Her husband had a part in naming Mount Rushmore. Her step son helped carve it. They lived in Keystone, South Dakota, not DeSmet. Mary lived with her mother in DeSmet until her mother's death. She then went to live with Grace in Manchester, South Dakota, which is a neighboring town next to DeSmet. Manchester was totally wiped from a tornado in 2003. There is nothing there now. After that she went to live with Carrie, in Keystone and that is where she died. They took her body back to DeSmet and buried her next to her parents. Royal left DeSmet, I am not sure which date exactly, perhaps when Laura and Almanzo moved to the Wilder farm in Spring Valley. He married there in 1893. So it was some time before that, that he left DeSmet.

Hi from Japan. Thank you so much for sharing this presentation. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot.

Very good show. Thank you so much for sharing with us.

I just THOUGHT I knew a lot having read all of the books several times. I enjoyed this very much.

EXCELLENT PRESENTATION....GREAT INFO. THANK YOU!

Thank you ! I enjoyed your presentation a lot I love the Laura I wilder books My 3rd grade teacher read the entire series to us and it was my favorite time of class . Im 57 now and it’s an unforgettable experience. ❤️

thank u for this best documentaries ive seen of laura ingalls my dad showed me this book series /tv show too hehe im 21 now but i still love them hehe

We modern day people often see these times as the simpler times. But they were not as simple as we think they were. The times were quite hard. I think we only view them as "simple" because of how complicated things are today with all of the technology. I can't help but to wonder what the Ingalls family would think if they knew what we have today. But we can still see little bits of what it must've been like back then. All you have to do is visit the older order Amish communities. They live close to what the Ingalls might've lived like.

Thank you so much for publishing this presentation. I knew most of the items from being a lifelong fan (and I'm 59) and it is on my bucket list to do that covered wagon trail from Pepin, Wisconsin to DeSmet.

I just stumbled on this. I was immediately drawn in! Such a good video! I've been a huge Ingalls fan all my life. I first read all of Laura's books when I was 7. Thank you for such a detailed commentary!

Laura Ingalls Wilder, painted a picture of her time, its part of history, and a pleasure to read. Laura is the equivalent of Lucy Maude Montgomery, famous for Anne of Green Gables. Its a tantalizing peek into what life was like in their time. So happy and fortune to able to experience their life thru their books.

Rose stated unequivocally that her mother’s books were not fiction, they were written exactly as her mother remembered the events.

Now I'm off to read the books for the umpteenth time in my 59 years of life. Thank you...wish you had included more Almanzo information & a visit to his family home in New York though.

She got married on August 25, 1885, at age 18. Almanzo was a full 10 years older than Laura.

Thank- you for this quality presentation. As a life long fan of the Little House book series and TV series, I am always interested to learn more. What a gift to hear these true to life stories! As a young girl my mother used to make us prairie outfits, as every day clothes and I was often teased and called," Little House on the Prarie girl" At the time I thought it was not kind, but now I think it was wonderful.

Thanks for doing this presentation. I really enjoyed. Great job! Your an asset to your proffesion.

Thank you for sharing this! I loved little house on the prairie, my favorite show as a kid and still now. 😊☀️

I enjoyed all the really interesting chronology facts - and family dynamics ! Presenter will do well if she continues working at this presentation…. But I love all the details, as any fan would!! 💞🙏😊

Rose had several miscarriages when married to Gillette Lane. She also had a still born son while visiting Salt Lake City in 1919. Laura visited with Rose and Gillette I think in 1915 in San Francisco. A book was published about that. Caroline passed away Easter Sunday 1924. Mary in 1928. The narrator said baby Freddie died at a month old, he was 9months and buried in South Troy, Wabasha County MN while the Ingalls were visiting Uncle Peter's family

I really enjoyed watching this and learned a lot, what a labor of love!

I just stumbled on this by accident. Wonderful! I grew up in the Netherlands and the Little House books began to be published in Dutch when I was about 9, in the early 1960s - with the Garth Williams illustrations. I got a book for each birthday and for each X-mas and I hungered for the new one each time. I must have reread each book a few times. In 1980 I moved to Louisiana and in late 1981, I went on a trip into Arkansas and a tiny portion of Missouri. Of course Rocky Ridge Farm was closed for the season and of course I didn't know that because in the days before internet, one just didn't know those things. I stood at the gate of the grounds and looked at the house and that was a big moment. I was saddened that the children's lit award that carried Laura's name changed its name last year. I understand why it happened and I respect the decision but it still saddened me.

The reason they didn't smile in old pictures is because it took a long time to take the picture with the old cameras. It is much harder to hold a smile for several minutes than it is a solemn face. If you moved, it caused a blurred picture. So it was not by choice and doesn't reflect their actual mood.

I am extremely appreciative of your work in exploring and explaining this. I got really into Michael Landon through Highway to Heaven. And then Little House. Now, I'm hooked. Thanks for this :-)

I was first obsessed with Laura Wilder Ingalls books back in 2000. I gotten some of the copies from a Thrift store and then at the bookstore near me. I stayed in Detroit Michigan where I was born and raised. Nice how Laura put her adventures in her books.

Thoroughly enjoyed this presentation and so glad I came across it. I’ve long been fascinated by Rose in particular. Well done!

I grew up in the little town in Florida called Bonifay, Florida. We have records of her and their family living there.

I fell in love with the little house on the prairie books when I was in fourth grade. My teacher introduced us to the books and we started reading them in class from that point on my love for reading started. I have loved those books my entire life I am 49 years old now. And I still sit down and read them even though they are for a 12-year-old Not only did I love the books, but I also love the series that went on for nine years. Every couple years I will watch the entire series again I know it’s just a small part of what the real Laura Ingalls wilder was, but it still really nice to see. I still think Laura Ingalls wilder from putting a fire under me and making me love reading. Because of her books, my love of reading was formed.

Beautifully done I found your video by random and I live everything little house

Kudos on the presentation. It was well researched and showed a real affection for the books. participated as part of an advising event for the Rocky Ridge Farm several years ago. The house Almazo built is fascinating. Laura's handwritten manuscripts are on display, as well as the actual household furnishings. One thing I loved hearing was about the number of Japanese visitors they have. LIW has fans all over the world, and Japanese families make Manchester, MO part of their trips to the U.S. The head of the foundation and staff members always referred to the author as Mrs. Wilder, never Laura. I got the impression that Mrs. Wilder carried herself with a great deal of presence and dignity. Yes, I saw Pa's fiddle. :-)

Thank you for posting. . First time seeing this one. . ❤

Thank you for a wonderfully informative presentation! I learned a great deal and really enjoyed it!

I read the books as an adult raising my own children. I read then every Fall to keep myself from feeling cut off from my American roots (I live abroad) but I could never appreciate the series. It can't hold a candle to the excellent writing and completeness of the books. I love Pa and the whole family.

We have these books and DVD's and loved their life.

There were three versions. What really happened, what Laura said happened, and finally what the television series came up with.

Stopped by this video because LHOTP just turned 50 YO. Yay! This is very well done. Very informative & thorough. Thank you, little Miss

Glad to see that people are still enjoying my aunt's books.

I watch the show when I do cardio and it's wholesome and really shows how to properly act unlike the trash that is shown today.

Enlightening, thank you for the presentation!

This was really interesting; thanks for posting online

Carrie died in Key stone SD. Her husband had something to do with construction of Rushmore. Many of Carrie's belongings are in key stone

All the incidents happened , but some names, dates time-lines were altered to protect people who were still alive , when she was writing her books. It is called " Fictionised Autobiography "

Wow! Thank you for a very informative and insightful presentation.

thank you how nice. me and daughters love books. i know what books im gonna read. how lovely

So many hopes and dreams bundled into that little wagon and depending on those two horses. Im so glad of the honest values these books portray.

Wow great presentation by this beautiful lady I’m in Australia and read the books and watched all the seasons growing up I want to come over one day to go and visit all the places but at 58 and on a pension doubt I will ever get there just how it is 🙏🙏🙏

Here in Brazil, the TV series "Little house on the prairie" is called "The pioneers". It was broadcasted in the 70's and 80's and since then the uplifting messages provided by it, have resonated in the hearts of those ones who have watched the episodes. 🇧🇷

Highly informative and interesting.

Tomarse su tiempo para impartir una charla que presenta qué sucedió en la trastienda de los libros que no solo en EEUU acompañaron a muchos niños es toda una contribución que merece ser reconocida Sra. Meredith Tomeo. Se lo agradecemos.

That was pretty good. Well spoken first hand knowledge of what’s left and articulate in the story. Very pretty too. Good job

A wealth of info; most new for me. Thanks for posting!

You should def. visit Malone, Almanzo described the farm to people who wanted to recreate the buildings and locations of Farmer boy....when Almanzo measured out where the barn had been and how big, he was off by less than a foot...it is a fabulous place, very well managed and the locals are all very inviting and knowledgable about the family

Thank you so much, this is great !!!🙏❤️

The donkey that was given to Rose was to help her become humble; Almonzo and Laura knew their daughter's sassy and independent ways would someday get her in trouble.

The events in the books were real they really happened but were sugar coated and fictionalized for younger readers

These r my favorite books ever. I love pioneer stories and memoirs. I knew about the lost little boy and never heard about this part of their life. Thank u for this 💗 And yes!! I remember when albert got addicted to morphine?!? Whaaaat?

Very interesting and informative. Now I’ll have to read the books again.

Would be interesting for them to redo the show but much closer to the real material

I love this video! The history fascinates me. I'm so glad these things got published and are shared with us all now.

I went to Mansfield Mo it's a very beautiful place to live I see why they lived the 60+ years .... your very knowledgeable enjoyed your detailed story into her life

Thanks! Fun to watch and very informative :P