The Mennobrarian

EDITED My Laura Ingalls Wilder trip: Mansfield, Missouri

10:49, Thursday, June 5, 2008 .. 8 comments .. Link

*With Photos!*

In the summer of 2005, my friend Carole and I spent a week visiting homesteads from Laura Ingalls Wilder's life. My friend and I had planned and saved for our "Laura Ingalls trip" for about a year. She later confessed to me, in the rental car leaving the St. Louis airport, that she really spent the last year thinking that I was not serious and the trip would never happen. Guess I called her bluff! Anyway...

I love Missouri.

This is evidenced by the many times I start sentences when speaking to my husband with the phrase "When we retire to Missouri..."

Daviess County, St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, wherever, something about that place speaks to my heart. But no part of that state has impressed me as much as southern Missouri did, when my friend and I visited the Wilder's Missouri homestead, Rocky Ridge farm. Laura and Almanzo built and lived there for most of their lives.

The rolling hills and quiet country roads of southern Missouri, punctuated by woodlands and the abundant nature of Appalachia, felt so peaceful and remote. Imagine what it must have been like in 1894 when the Wilder's arrived!

The simple yet stately home built by husband Almanzo was deceptively small on the outside, as the main rooms inside were suitable for the large social gatherings Laura was known for hosting at Rocky Ridge. But there were some things that were small, like the kitchen. Laura was a tiny woman, not even five feet tall. Everything in the kitchen was small-scale, low cabinets and counters, small shelves. It had the feel of standing in a doll house! Several of us on the tour commented how enormous we felt standing in Laura's custom-built petite kitchen.

While inside, I could not resist looking out all of the windows, trying to imagine what Laura's view must have been like. From the back porch, did she see her little girl coming home from school up the winding road?

The museum next to the farm house had an impressive display of Laura's belongings, including Pa's fiddle, Laura's sewing machine, and a written list of Laura's favorite Bible verses. I actually pulled out a pad of paper to copy them down, only to find out later in the gift shop that there was a printed bookmark with the list of verses!

Rocky Ridge was where Laura wrote all of her books and articles. There was even fan mail from children still on the kitchen table, as the home and the placement of all of its contents have been carefully preserved since Laura's death in 1957.

After the visit to that house, Laura felt more "real" to me than ever before. She was no longer just the spirited pioneer girl in braids and calico from the books of my childhood, pictured vividly in my imagination. I had stood in her house, a guest.

The Wilder's Rocky Ridge Farm

This stone house lies not far from Rocky Ridge, and Laura and Alamanzo lived in it for a while. It was a gift from their daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, after she became a successful writer. She ordered it from a catalog and had it built for her parents. Although it had more modern conveniences than their farm house, Laura and Almanzo never really felt at home here, and moved back to the farm .

Finally, we went to visit the nearby cemetery where Almanzo, Laura, and their daughter Rose rest. Many visitors pay their respects and leave flowers.

Leave a Comment

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07:28, Thursday, June 5, 2008 .. Posted by AndreaG
Wow! What a great trip you must have had. Someday I would LOVE to go to all of the homesteads. Did you get to see Almanzo's childhood home in NY? That's the closest one to me, and I hope to take the kids. We love the Little House books and it would be so neat to actually see the places mentioned. Did you take any pictures? I'm sure a lot of us would love to see them :)

Thank you for blogging about this. I really enjoyed reading about it.

Blessings,
Andrea G

****Hi Andrea, we did take photos but I had not yet posted them. Thanks for reminding me! We did not get out to Almanzo's in Malone- at the time we took this trip that property was under renovation and was not yet accepting visitors, I believe. We did try to get to the significant Ingalls sites. Glad you enjoyed the post!***

Edited by Mennobrarian on Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 07:41

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07:33, Thursday, June 5, 2008 .. Posted by Kitty
I would love to visit there. If you go to my blog and on my links list click on Pleasant View Schoolhouse, her and her dds recently took a trip there and she posted a few pics. I loved it.
I checked into that bug site you left me. I ended up calling my Ag agent and he told me that they were white flys and that they were pretty easy to get rid of. So I have to spray the plant with some malathyon and all will be well, I hope so anyway, LOL......Kitty

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10:21, Thursday, June 5, 2008 .. Posted by haflinger
Monica what a nice trip.. Sounds like you had a great time. How many days were u there? What was the best kitchen gadet you saw and liked?

Thanks for sharing
Blessings SIster Brenda

*****Hi Brenda, we just spent one day in Mansfield and then jumped in the car to our next Little House destination. The whole trip was a week. As for Laura's kitchen, except for the wood stove, it looked very traditional since she was using it up until her death. She did have some neat wooden buckets.****

Edited by Mennobrarian on Friday, June 6, 2008 at 09:34

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10:44, Thursday, June 5, 2008 .. Posted by gabbie427
You know what??? I live in Missouri and have never been there!!! You mention Daviees County, and you were right in my neck of the woods because it is right next door to where I live!

You should come back to Missouri again, and stay with us!!! *Hugs*

God's Blessings,
Amy Jo

Hi Monica

08:59, Friday, June 6, 2008 .. Posted by MyThreeDaughters
It is late here but I really enjoyed your post. I didn't know about the house in Malone!
I read about Laura's kitchen in the Little House Sampler or the Reader book.

Hi

01:01, Friday, June 6, 2008 .. Posted by TheGoodLife
Hi Thanks for sharing.

I enjoyed reading & looking at photos.
I would like to visit one day,

Love Leanne NZ

your trip

11:28, Friday, June 6, 2008 .. Posted by stitchesbyteresa
Okay...how I missed this all these years, I have no idea...for some reason, I missed that Laura Ingalls Wilder was a REAL person. I guess I thought the books were fictional! DUH...I feel stupid now b/c my sisters and I were always HUGE fans growing up. My oldest sister had the collection of books and read them to us before we could even read...and I recall reading them, too...plus we always watched the tv episodes as well.
ANYWAY, thank you so much for sharing your trip with us. I look forward to your blogs this month regarding Laura.

Oh wow

06:30, Sunday, June 8, 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous
Thank you for sharing.. I love Laura Ingalls Wilder.. Amy Jo is right Daviess County Missouri is our Neck of the woods.. We were just there last week and my in laws live there.. Come back to Missouri and see us.. PLEASE.....

God Bless,
Marcia