Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura Ingalls Wilder was an American author known for her popular series of children’s books, “The Little House on the Prairie.” Wilder grew up in a pioneering family out west in the 1800s and wrote the series based on her childhood experiences. The books have since been adapted into a popular television program and movie series, and Wilder has become a beloved author, creating a foundation and inspiring fans around the world with her powerful stories.

Wilder was born in Pepin, Wisconsin, in 1867. Her family was made up of her parents, Caroline and Charles, and her four sisters. Wilder’s father and grandfather were both surveyors and he encouraged the family to explore and wander around the land. Eventually, the family settled in Independence, Kansas, in the Osage Diminished Reserve. They lived in a dugout, but little more than a year later the family moved to the nearby Big Woods.

In 1867 the Ingalls family packed up their belongings and headed west, traveling by wagon along the Oregon Trail. They headed from Kansas to Minnesota, and then spent the winter of 1874 in the South Dakota Badlands. The family had a brief stay in Iowa, and then moved to De Smet, South Dakota, where they built a small house on the prairie in 1880. From 1880 until 1894, the family lived in De Smet, where Wilder experienced a lot of the trials and joys typical of prairie life — from blizzards and prairie fires to celebrations and the kind of togetherness of the pioneering lifestyle. After Charles passed away suddenly in 1902, Wilder and her mother eventually moved to Mansfield, Missouri, where they stuck around until the late 1920s.

In the early 1930s, Wilder was encouraged by her daughter, Rose, to begin writing a series of stories about her childhood on the prairie. The resulting books, “The Little House on the Prairie,” remain some of the most beloved stories of all time. The first book was published in 1932 and it went on to spawn nine more sequels. The books have become well-known worldwide thanks to an adaptation into a popular television show and feature-length films.

Wilder wrote the “Little House” books until her death in 1957. Her legacy lives on in the books, but also in the pioneer spirit and hard work that she embodied throughout her life. Her stories have been inspiring millions of readers for decades and her impact on literature is undeniable. Wilder was posthumously awarded the 1940 Pulitzer Prize for literature for the entire series, making her the first woman to ever receive the award.

Wilder continues to be celebrated for her enduring stories of the small-town life on the prairie. Her books were written in a style that paints a vivid picture of life on the American frontier, and they have often been cited as a major influence in forming the American ideal. Wilder’s stories have shaped the way many Americans think of the pioneering spirit and her influence is still felt today. Her stories will continue to be shared and enjoyed for generations to come.