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A Little House virtual field trip

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A Little House Virtual Field Trip ~SimpleHomeschool
A Little House Virtual Field Trip ~ Written by Jamie C. Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool

As I’ve written before, the Little House books have influenced my life since I first read them as a little girl. I’ve read the entire series several times and have always had a dream–a dream that this year is going to come true!

I’ve always wanted to walk where Laura walked, see where she lived, and be inspired as a family along the way. Well, this summer it’s happening!

In June we’ll be heading west as a family–not in a covered wagon, but a minivan–to the Little House sites in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota on a massive road trip.

I’m beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to do this as a family, but then I thought–why not take you guys along with me?

Of course, you won’t all fit in the minivan, but why not put together a virtual field trip so you can take your kids to Laura’s homes from your dining room or coffee table?

Ready? Let’s go!

Stop 1. Pepin, Wisconsin

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Books written about this site: Little House in the Big Woods

Head to Little House in the Big Woods on Google Earth

Laura was born in the Big Woods in 1867, and she describes this first childhood home in Little House in the Big Woods. The Ingalls lived here twice, and the memories Laura shares in the book actually take place after they returned from the Kansas prairie.

If you look at the satellite view, you’ll see that only a few trees remain, but there’s a replica cabin located at the site and a picnic area to hang out in.

Take a tour of Little House, Pepin:

(If reading in a reader, click here for the video.)

Learn more about Pepin:

Stop 2. Independence, Kansas

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Books written about this site: Little House on the Prairie

Head to Little House on the Prairie on Google Earth

Laura’s family moved here in 1869 and settled on land belonging to the Osage Indians, having received word that the land would soon be available for settlers. After a year of persevering through hardships and dealing with tensions between the Indians and settlers, the Ingalls were forced to leave Kansas.

Today a replica cabin sits on the site, furnished the way Laura described in the book. Pa’s hand dug well stands nearby as well.

Take a tour of the Laura’s little house as it looks today:

(If reading in a reader, click here for the video.)

Learn more about the Kansas site:

Stop 3. Walnut Grove, Minnesota

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Books written about this site: On the Banks of Plum Creek

Head to Walnut Grove on Google Earth (the dugout site is just north of the “A” on this map)

After leaving Kansas and spending a few years back in Wisconsin, the Ingalls moved to Minnesota in 1874 and lived in a sod house for the winter. Pa eventually built a house on the property (which Laura called “the wonderful house,” as it was the largest she had lived in at that point).

Both houses are gone, but Plum Creek–ah, that’s still there! I’m looking forward to taking off my shoes and wading in it, just like Laura did.

The site of the dugout has been marked, and Walnut Grove has a museum dedicated to Laura and the time period. The church bell that Pa donated his shoe money for hangs at a church in town as well.

Tour the site of plum creek and Laura’s home:

(If reading in a reader, click here for the video.)

And take a walk on the banks of plum creek:

(If reading in a reader, click here for the video.)

Learn more about the Minnesota site:

Stop 4. De Smet, South Dakota

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Books written about this site: By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, These Happy Golden Years, The First Four Years

Head to De Smet on Google Earth

After suffering disappointments in both Minnesota and Iowa, where the Ingalls lived for a short time, the family decided to move further west so Pa could work for the railroad as it expanded through South Dakota. This ended up being their final move until Laura, Mary, Carrie, and Grace left home as adults.

De Smet is the site of the Long Winter, the site of Laura’s courtship with Almanzo Wilder, and the start of their married life together.

Tour the Little Town on the Prairie:

(If reading in a reader, click here for the video.)

Stop 5. Malone, New York

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Books written about this site: Farmer Boy

Head to Almanzo’s childhood home on Google Earth

Almanzo was born on this farm in 1857, and Laura shares his childhood story beautifully in her book Farmer Boy. His family lived here for nearly two decades, until crop failures forced them to move west to Minnesota.

Almanzo’s original home still stands, and has been restored as much as possible to the time period in which the book was written.

Tour Almanzo’s farm:

(If reading in a reader, click here for the video.)

Learn more about Almanzo and his home:

Stop 6. Mansfield, Missouri

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Head to Rocky Ridge Farm on Google Earth

All the Little House books were written from this location!

Laura, Almanzo, and Rose moved here in 1894 looking for a fresh start in farming. They transformed the rocky land they purchased bit by bit and spent nearly 20 years building the white farmhouse that is now a museum honoring the family’s legacy.

Years ago Steve and I had the chance to visit Rocky Ridge Farm on a road trip before having children, and I loved seeing Pa’s fiddle and Laura’s kitchen and parlor.

littlehouse I’m standing at the site of the “Rock House,” which Rose built as a gift to her parents down the street from Rocky Ridge Farm. After living there a few years, they said it was “too fancy” for them and that they were homesick for the farm–so they moved back down the street!

Tour the Little House on Rocky Ridge Farm:

(If reading in a reader, click here for the video.)

Learn more about Rocky Ridge farm:

I hope you enjoyed this field trip out west with Laura and me–a special thanks to Laura Ingalls Wilder, Frontier Girl for all of the wonderful video clips!

“It has been years since I beat eggs with a fork or cleaned a kerosene lamp. Many things have changed since then, but the truths we learned from our parents and the principles they taught us are always true. They can never change.”
~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, reflecting on her famous series

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If you enjoyed this post, check out Jamie’s book, Introverted Mom: Your Guide to More Calm, Less Guilt, and Quiet Joy.

If you found this post helpful, subscribe via email here to receive Jamie’s FREE ebook, Secrets of a Successful Homeschool Mom!

About Jamie C. Martin

Jamie is an introverted mom of three, who loves books, tea, and people (not always in that order), and avoids answering the phone when possible. She co-founded SimpleHomeschool.net in 2010 and began IntrovertedMoms.com in 2020.

Jamie is the author of four books, including Give Your Child the World (reached #9 on Amazon's Top 100 Best Sellers list), and her latest release, Introverted Mom (an ECPA bestseller). Her work has been featured by LeVar Burton of Reading Rainbow, the Washington Post, Parents, Today Parenting, and Psychology Today.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kate

    How exciting!!! My eight year is daughter and I took that trip last summer. The Caddie Woodlawn House is about 45 min from Pepin if you are Caddie Woodlawn fans. And the Betsy-Tacy houses are in Mankato, Mn, on the way to Plum Creek from Pepin. I highly recommend an overnight stay in a covered wagon at the Ingalls Homestead in South Dakota.

  3. Lori

    Thanks for putting this together! We finished the series as a family read aloud, and this will be fun for the kids to explore.
    I have to say, finishing that series was a bit of a let-down, and I haven’t been able to figure out what to read aloud next. We’ve been reading our history, but I need another great read-aloud!
    I love the quote above from Laura Ingalls Wilder; so inspiring!!!

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  5. Kayla

    Just wanted to say Thank you and I am excited to visit the Ingalls family homestead with you. I also have read the books dozens of times and have them all waiting for my girls when they begin to read. I always put myself in Laura’s place and wanted to be in the book with her. Can’t wait to show these posts to my girls. Hopefully they will love it as much as we do. Thanks again!!!

  6. Nicole @ Journey to Excellence

    Thank you for this! We are actually using Prairie Primer as our spine for study next year and I am starting to gather all of our resources. We actually live within a couple of hours of both Independence and Mansfield, so those are definitely on our list of field trips for next year.
    Nicole @ Journey to Excellence’s latest post: The ABC’s (and D’s and E’s) of Our Homeschool Success ~ “C”lipboards {Homeschool Essentials Blog Hop}

  7. shelli : mamaofletters

    I can’t tell you how excited I am about this!! I have just started reading the Little House series to my seven-year-old for the first time, and it’s the first time I’ve read them too! He LOVES them! I grew up watching the show, and I always LOVED that. We just started reading Farmer Boy, which I know he’ll especially love since it’s about a little boy. I am also reading the books ahead of him, and I just started reading Little House on the Prairie. I just love them. I’m going to bookmark this page so that we can watch all the videos when we finish the series. Thank you very much for all the work in putting this together!
    shelli : mamaofletters’s latest post: Introducing… home / school / life magazine

  9. Katie Fox

    This is so inspiring! My daughter Molly loves the Little House books – I have been trying to keep up with her (I love them, too!) but she’s left me in the dust. I can see us doing this same trip someday, but for now we will use this virtual trip. Thank you, Jamie!

  11. Faigie

    Every time we have a big snow here in NY I think of how in heavens name people like the Ingals managed without oil or gas heat, in that bitter cold with non stop snow. She made it all seem so exciting.

  13. Jess

    I would love to take this trip with my daughters one day! There is a Laura Ingalls Wilder museum in Burr Oak , Iowa also where they lived for a short while, I believe, and helped run a hotel, but I don’t think it was ever mentioned in the books.

      • Carrie

        I was hoping to see someone post about this!

        Burr Oak is the only site that Laura Ingalls Wilder was NOT allowed to write about. The publisher did not like it that Pa was not successful running a carriage stop/hotel. The family was behind on rent and other bills, plus Pa wanted to move west, so the family packed up and left town in the middle of the night. Not a scenario that fit into the “onward and upward” theme set by her other books, and no dramatic but positive ending like “The Long Winter.”

        Definitely worth the visit, but be prepared that this site is more realistic about the Ingalls family compared to other sites.

        • Tonya Mills

          I was just going to say, don’t forget Burr Oak since you’ll be reasonable close with stop #1. My daughter and I have been there quite a few times since we live in Iowa.

  14. Kate

    When my family moved from Michigan to Washington State, I insisted that we stop at Walnut Grove and De Smet. Wading in Plum Creek and walking barefoot on the prairie are some of my very favorite memories! De Smet is a charming, tiny town and I think about it often. The trees Pa planted on his homestead are still standing! Wow! One thing to keep in mind about De Smet in summer. It’s easily 110 degrees. Take lots and lots and lots of water and remind yourselves often how fortunate you are not to wear layers of petticoats and woolen undergarments!!!

    Have a fun and blessed trip!!

  15. Megan

    We visited several of these places on our road trip last summer, and they were wonderful! We especially enjoyed De Smet, SD–so much to do at the Ingalls Homestead. If you’re interested, here are the posts I did on our visits:
    http://www.sistersshoppingonashoestring.com/visiting-lauras-little-houses-part-1-intro-and-little-house-on-the-prairie
    http://www.sistersshoppingonashoestring.com/visiting-lauras-little-houses-part-2-little-house-in-the-big-woods-and-on-the-banks-of-plum-creek
    http://www.sistersshoppingonashoestring.com/visiting-lauras-little-houses-part-3-lauras-little-town-de-smet-south-dakota

  16. Kristina

    Thank you for all these links! My 9 year old son is reading Farmer Boy. He was getting tired of the book and this made the book interesting for him. Now that he could see that Almonzo was a real person. It was fun to look at the maps and watch the videos.
    Thanks again.

  17. Jenn R.

    This is so cool Jamie! I hope you and your family enjoy your time in Minnesota. It has been many years since I visited Walnut Grove, but I do remember loving it. Reading Laura’s books, and then being able to see a piece of it, is simply magical. I’m glad for you and your family 🙂

  18. Pamela R

    We went to Pepin this fall and then reread The Little House in the Big Woods and it was wonderful to have the perspective. I’m so excited for you and your family to be taking the whole trip! Enjoy.

  19. nola

    Wow! Thank you! I wanted to find all these resources and put them together for my children but I never took the time to do it. They are going to be thrilled! Its on my list, too, to go to all the sites, but this is great! have fun when you go!!!!

  20. Jaime

    How neat! I read the whole series aloud to my son last year when he was a first grader. We’d love to make this trip one day, and we’ll happily live vicariously this summer! Thank you for creating this lovely post – it’s just wonderful.

  21. Kristi

    Thanks for putting this together! I’m reading the books with my son. We’re almost finished with By the Shores of Silver Lake right now. We watched this together and both enjoyed it! He wants to get to see all these places in person and this was the next best thing!

  22. Katie

    Thank you so much for putting this together. We are doing the Prairie Primer this year and this will be a wonderful resource to share with my little girl!
    Katie’s latest post: Holiday Fun

  24. Jody

    I love the Little House series. I read it growing up and my girls have read it multiple times. Last summer we spent a couple days in DeSmet, SD, and stayed on the homestead – in a covered wagon. This year we plan to visit all the other sites in the Midwest. Unfortunately Almanzo’s home will have to wait for another year or two.

    If you want to see a few images from our trip last year – http://familyrambling.com/laura-ingalls-wilder-desme/usa/

  25. Colleen Quinn

    We made a Little House trip when my daughter was 11. She didn’t love the show, books and spirit of the pioneers as much as myself but we had a great time. Went to Burr Oak, Iowa then Pepin, then Walnut Grove, then DeSmet. I had so much fun planning everything from the museum visits, to staying at some really neat places (In DeSmet we stayed one night at the renovated house the Mayor lived at in Laura’s books…only 3 houses down from the Ingalls’ home) to my favorite part of staying in a covered wagon on the Ingalls’ Homestead in DeSmet. I want to visit Missouri and Kansas some day and go back to all the places we already visited. There were some other great places we visited along the way including Larkin Toy Factory and National Eagle Center just across the Mississippi in Minnesota to Spirit lake in DeSmet. I have hundreds of pictures to help keep the memories alive!