Little Town on the Prairie - Day 7 - Part 2

DAY 7,  Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Part 3

“Horrible weather! I expected this in October, not now!” Having spent a lovely sunny time in Little Town on the Prairie, we are on our way to Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Last night was spent on the prairie in a comfortable covered wagon that was fashioned into sleeping quarters. But many sites were seen and prairie life-style skills learned before we eventually made it to bed. 

The homestead we stayed on was the actual 160 acres that Charles Ingalls received from the South Dakota government when the Homestead Act came into effect. His part of the bargain was he had to farm at least ten acres of the land - this he did and more.

Replicas of the original buildings were recreated using as accurate measurements and original design as possible. We visited the Ingalls’ house and saw the organ that Pa bought Mary when she learned to play after becoming blind. There was a little addition built onto the original home specifically for this purpose. The house was small but efficient, with two tiny bedrooms off the kitchen, and the parlour complete with the sewing table, pipe organ, and a rocking chair. 

Each of my children had a chance to try the sewing machine, which was similar to the one I own that my Grandmother gave me, and they also played on the pipe organ. A button spinner and a corn husk doll were two of the simple pioneer toys they made. 

Behind Us Are the Cottonwood Trees That Pa Planted

Machinery is nothing new, but I was surprised at the ingenuity of the tools they used in the 1800 and 1900’s. For instance, when we shucked the corn for the dolls, we put the cob into a machine with three blades, and when it came out the cob was bare and the kernels were in a bowl under the shucker. Likewise, when I watched the boys make ropes, I was intrigued by how simply stringing three stands of twine onto each of three rings, plus a turn of a handle crank by one boy, and the pulling of the opposite end, at the same time, by the other boy, could create a modern day rope. 

Shucking Corn

Making Ropes

It was now time to jump into the wagon and be off to school. In all reality, it was one mile to school for the Ingalls girls from the De Smet home. The teacher was ringing the bell upon our arrival, and when we entered the school Ayana and Song were given bonnets and pinafores, while Isaiah, Courage, and Israel were given straw hats to wear. 

The teacher then spent the next period of time teaching us what it would be like to go to school with Laura, Mary, and Carrie. Courage was used to demonstrate a consequence that a child would get in school in that era. 

Being Willie

On the Sides of the Chairs

Laura Had a Lot of Profound Things to Say

Something that Ayana found interesting was how the students would bring a raw potato to school. The child would put it in the coals of the hot wood stove, and when it was cooked, they would eat it for lunch, or on cold, winter days they might use it for hand-warmers when they walked home from school. 

To and from the school Isaiah, Ayana, Courage, Song, and Israel had the opportunity to drive a team of horses. 

Back at the homestead they drove a ponycart, played with the miniature ponies and kittens. The baby pony and the curious, grey kitten were hands down everybody’s favourite, but for Courage, who chose driving the team as his favourite activity. 

Skipping With a Rope She Made

Part 4

The cemetery in De Smet has the gravesites for the entire Ingalls’ family, excluding Laura, who is buried in Missouri, with her husband, Almanzo. I have always found the history of people buried in cemeteries interesting, and at times, very sad. I supposes my interest lies in the fact that family heritage and stories mean so much to me. I have never taken the children to a cemetery before, but they all agreed that though it was sad, they would like to go to another because they enjoyed the conversations we had about different people’s lives. 

Charles Ingalls

The Family

Skipping Happily Always

Part 5

With darkness falling and not a minute to spare, we drove through the little town looking at all the sites marked on the visitor’s map, when what to my delight did I find? A DQ wifi hotspot!!  We pulled into the minuscule, but empty parking lot, and plunked ourselves in the middle, since there was nowhere else to park if I was to get out later. For the next two hours I uploaded my blog while running back and forth to the caravan, making dinner and feeding the tribe. But before dinner they had more important business to attend to - eating a chocolate dipped DQ cone. After ice-cream and dinner - in that order, of course - we headed back to our Little Covered Wagon on the Prairie. 

This caravan had beds everywhere. The ones on the floor pulled out of the back.