Learn The Fascinating History Behind Kansas' Beloved Little House On The Prairie Museum
By Nikki Rhoades|Published July 03, 2020
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Nikki Rhoades
Author
Nikki is a lifelong Ohioan with a love for literature. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Akron and has enjoyed publishing her written work since 2007. She has a love of travel and does so frequently, though she believes that home is where the heart is — she continues to work in and around Cleveland as a digital content specialist to this day, working on everything from commercial scripts and social media posts to grassroots marketing initiatives.
Kansas is a relatively young state, with the first pioneers arriving circa 1827. The area was full of violence and tension as abolitionists and pro-slavery settlers struggled to gain control of the land. After the abolitionist views won and The Free State entered the Union in 1861, life didn’t get significantly easier or safer in the untamed new state… as those familiar with Little House on the Prairie know. You can experience the lifestyle of Kansas’ early settlers at the Little House on the Prairie Museum, a fascinating site that once hosted Charles Ingalls and his family. Slip on your calico dresses and buckskin pants, because this historic homestead will make you feel like you’re living life on the untamed American frontier.
Everyone knows and loves Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the beloved Little House on the Prairie book series.
The Little House books showcase life in the American Midwest between 1870 and 1894, as experienced by Laura, her family, and, in the second book, by her husband.
Laura was born to Caroline and Charles Ingalls in Wisconsin in 1867, but the family settled in Kansas when Laura was just two.
The Little House on the Prairie Museum is a non-profit organization that celebrates and preserves local history, particularly that of Charles Ingalls and his family. Though the family lived on the site only briefly, its essence was captured in one of eight books (nine if you count posthumously published The First Four Years) authored by Ingalls Wilder.
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While some portions of the property are reproductions, many features (like the historic schoolhouse pictured below) are over a century old.
And the old hand-dug well, dug by Charles Ingalls and neighbor Mr. Scott, is still on the site... and it was instrumental in the historic homestead's rediscovery.
When the well was discovered in 1969, historians knew that this site on the old Horton farm had to be the childhood homestead of Laura Ingalls Wilder. In Little House on the Prairie, published in 1935, Ingalls Wilder outlines the struggles faced at this site... including a battle with malaria.
If you're thinking back to the Little House on the Prarie television show from back in the day, don't put the cart before the horse. This historic site is unaffiliated with the show, striving to show how Laura and her family actually lived.
In addition to exploring pioneer life as the Ingalls family understood it, visitors can also explore a post office from 1885 and a schoolhouse from 1871.
While these sites were created after Laura and her family moved out of the area, these historical features were brought in to save them from destruction and to preserve them for future generations... something Laura Ingalls Wilder herself likely would have appreciated, having taken such an initiative to preserve pioneer history in her writings.
The Ingalls family lived on this plot of land between 1869 and 1871, leaving when they realized that the land was on Osage Nation land and that they would likely be evicted.
Whether you visit during regular hours of operation or during a special event, this historic site will charm you.
The Little House on the Prairie Museum truly immerses you in the wonders and difficulties of pioneer life, allowing you to travel back to a different era.
Whether you're a fan of nostalgic and familiar Little House on the Prairie tales or just want to experience life as early Kansas settlers knew it, this fascinating destination is sure to leave you impressed. Connect with them on Facebook to plan your trip.
There is so much to love about this historic little homestead.
The Little House on the Prairie Museum is a fascinating local landmark that is truly unlike any other. It’s a literary gem, bringing a moment in time to life and ensuring it remains frozen… a snapshot of yesteryear otherwise frozen in the eternal lines of one of the most beloved book series in U.S. history. Have you ever visited this fascinating site?
Can’t get enough of the Kansas prairie landscape? Konza Prairie is particularly beautiful, and it is open to the public.
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