The kids and I just finished Little House in the Big Woods, so we decided to go visit Pepin, WI and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s birthplace.
We visited the museum in town and visited the cabin (reproduction) on the original homestead.
We visited the shore of Lake Pepin and collected rocks, just like Laura. Unlike Laura, we did not collect so many that we tore the pocket out of our skirts. The museum gave the kids little bags to put the rocks in.
While at the museum we picked up a new passport. We’re pretty excited to add more stamps.
On our way home we stopped in Decorah to have coffee with my niece.
It was a long day of driving, but it was filled with fun and the audio book of Little House on the Prarie.
mildlygranola 
So someday you’ll make the trek out to DeSmet?🥰
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Heck yes! We’re going to stay in a covered wagon next year.
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My mom, sister and I stayed there! I was shocked that the people at the gas station didn’t know the directions to the dear-to-me homestead of Laura Ingalls, and then shocked again that we arrived two minutes later with directions. In the book the walk into DeSmet was so long, but of course, only 2 miles by car is nothing at all.
I hope you get to go, they have the reproduced house with tar paper on the walls and everything.
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SO COOL!!!! That is just awesome! What a great trip and how neat to tie it with reading the book!
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It has been so much fun! I’m leaning hard into Laura Ingalls Wilder history this year.
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It is a book series that has a lot to it. There’s a lot of American history in there, albeit of a very one-sided nature. And you are doing a lot to sort of build on that and present the other side. And it’s interesting reading about how people lived.
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What a cool mum you are. I would have loved these themed adventures you are taking your kids on.
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We are having so much fun! We have the best adventures in autumn.
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This is amazing. I love that you’re doing this and can’t wait to see photos from other sites!
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Dude. In South Dakota you can spend the night in a covered wagon! Guess what I’m doing next summer.
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Haha, I’m reading The Wilder Life and just got to that part! Definitely not my cup of tea but I look forward to hearing about it!
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Oh my goodness – I LOVED Little House on the Prairie when I was a kid – I read the books and faithfully watched the TV show! I will never forgot from one of the books the series in which they took a bath (all sharing the same water) – first the kids, then Ma, then Pa. I always think – ewwww – Pa had to bathe in everyone else’s water! (okay funny the things you remember reading).
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I’m not that nice of a parent. I think I would take the bath first and have them wash in my filth.
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Ha!!! I nearly spit my tea out. Ha!!!!
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I was in DeSmet years ago and just visited the Kansas place outside Independence today (though it was closed and we couldn’t see in but was able to walk the property and read information signs). Going to see the house south of Springfield tomorrow! Thinking about winding up in Wisconsin before heading back home to PA next week!
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Heading to Pepin- RIGHT NOW
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Oh my goodness…this sounds wonderful! Seeing the cabin, even in the picture is so exciting!
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