Read more

copyright / permissions

Please do not plagiarize.

Read more

Read more

“Wait for the Wagon”

Buckley and Knauff song.

Read more

Read more

Old Military Tract

Franklin Co. NY map reference

Read more

Read more

“Buffalo Gals”

1844 Virginia Minstrels song.

Read more

Read more

butter

Edible fatty substance made by churning cream.

Read more

Read more

Laura’s wedding silver

Wm. Rogers’ “Crown” silverplate.

Read more

Read more

cream of tartar / baking powder

Byproduct of wine-making process, used in baking as leavening agent.

Read more

Read more

killdeer

Small aquatic bird.

Read more

Read more

“Am I a Soldier of the Cross”

Isaac Watts hymn.

Read more

Read more

“Don’t Leave the Farm, Boys”

Song from The Conqueror.

Read more

Read more

“Great is the Lord”

Singing school song from The Conqueror.

Read more

Read more

“Gentle Words and Loving Smiles”

Hymn 139 in Pure Gold for the Sunday School.

Read more

Read more

clinched nail

Bent at a right angle.

Read more

Read more

“The Girl I Left Behind Me”

17th century Irish tune.

Read more

Read more

quinine

Medicine used to treat malaria, made from cinchona bark.

Read more

Read more

bacon

Hog’s flesh salted or pickled and dried, usually in smoke.

Read more

Read more

wild prairie rose

RWL was their namesake, my dear.

Read more

Read more

starch

cloth stiffener

Read more

Read more

Charles Barker

Early De Smet grocer.

Read more

Read more

breast-pin / brooch

Ornament worn on clothing.

Read more

Read more

Horace Woodworth family

Family of first depot agent in De Smet.

Read more

Read more

pieplant

Rhubarb.

Read more

Read more

“Captain Jinks”

1868 comedic opera song.

Read more

Read more

apple pie / dried apple pie

Just like Ma used to make.

Read more

Read more

orthography

The art of spelling words correctly.

Read more

Read more

America / American

Pertaining to the United States of America.

Read more

Read more

James McKee family

Early homesteader north of Manchester D.T. Laura Ingalls stayed with them during the spring of 1883.

Read more

Read more

Ingalls office / store in De Smet

NW and SE corners of Calumet and Second.

Read more

Read more

“My Old Kentucky Home”

1853 Stephen Foster song.

Read more

Read more

Albert Quiner

Laura’s cousin.

Read more

Read more

consumption

A wasting disease, pulmonary tuberculosis.

Read more

Read more

Dr. Robert Hoyt

Husband of Mattie Masters.

Read more

Read more

Charles Lamson

Almanzo’s cousin.

Read more

Read more

Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography

Laura’s handwritten manuscript.

Read more

Read more

birthday

As near as I can figure, E.J. was right.

Read more

Read more

Robbins children

“froze stark stiff”

Read more

Read more

Charles Philip Ingalls

Father of Laura Ingalls. He lived 1836-1902.

Read more

Read more

Docia Ingalls / Hiram Forbes

Sister of Charles Ingalls married to railroad contractor.

Read more

Read more

Western Reserve

Land in Ohio, given to Connecticut upon agreement to give up claim to lands in Pennsylvania.

Read more

Read more

geranium

Winter windowsill flowers.

Read more

Read more

“Little Annie Rooney”

1889 song by Michael Nolan.

Read more

Read more

“The Star-Spangled Banner”

Our National Anthem; words by Francis Scott Key.

Read more

Read more

yeast / yeast cakes

Bread-leavening organism.

Read more

Read more

quarter section / quarter-section

One-fourth of a square mile, consisting of 160 acres.

Read more

Read more

tableland

Elevated flat land; a plateau.

Read more

Read more

Fred Fields / Big Jerry

Railroad boss and his brother-in-law.

Read more

Read more

“Polly Wolly Doodle”

Daniel Decatur Emmett song.

Read more

Read more

isinglass

mica for stove windows

Read more

Read more

Mr. Clancy / Chauncey Clayson

Drygoods store owner, Chauncey Clayson

Read more

Read more

Mary Power & Edwin Sanford

Laura’s friend and the new clerk at Ruth’s bank.

Read more

Read more

Big Green Animal Book

George Hartwig’s The Polar and Tropical Worlds: A Description of Man and Nature.

Read more

Read more

equinoctial storm

Severe wind and heavy rain that occurs at or near the time of an equinox.

Read more

Read more

wall-paper

Wall covering.

Read more

Read more

milk pan / milk-pan / milkpan

Where cream rises.

Read more

Read more

“Irish Washerwoman”

Traditional Scottish and Irish song/dance song.

Read more

Read more

pen / pen-wiper

An instrument used for writing. / Material used to clean it after writing.

Read more

Read more

New England States

ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, & CT.

Read more

Read more

“Jingle Bells”

1857 James Pierpont song.

Read more

Read more

Peter Riley Ingalls family

Uncle Peter & Aunt Eliza.

Read more

Read more

Edward H. Couse

Early hardware store owner in De Smet.

Read more

Read more

Ven Owen

Teacher and principal of the first graded school in De Smet

Read more

Read more

Women’s Christian Temperance Union

W.C.T.U.

Read more

Read more

cornice

Roof overhang.

Read more

Read more

gopher

Four don’t go fur…

Read more

Read more

Old Settler’s Day

De Smet annual reunion.

Read more

Read more

apprentice

One who is legally bound to another to learn a trade or art.

Read more

Read more

birds’-nest pudding

Dessert made of apples baked in syrup and served with cream.

Read more

Read more

cradle scythe

Blade and handle used to cut oats.

Read more

Read more

Will Bennett

One of the younger De Smet schoolboys.

Read more

Read more

the children’s blizzard

January 12, 1888, blizzard.

Read more

Read more

fichu

Light pointed cape worn by ladies, usually made of lace.

Read more

Read more

“Gaily Now Our Boat is Sailing”

Laura loved singing school. It began with singing scales to...

Read more

Read more

“Daisy Deane”

1863 song by Union soldiers.

Read more

Read more

snow-fort

“Holler ’nuff!”

Read more

Read more

“The Singing School”

1869 P. Benson song.

Read more

Read more

zebra

Part of Willie Oleson’s Noah’s Ark toy.

Read more

Read more

greenhorn / greeny

Immature, raw, awkward.

Read more

Read more

“Mary of the Wild Moor”

1845 song by Joseph W. Turner.

Read more

Read more

De Smet bird’s-eye view

1883 Henry Wellge drawing of De Smet

Read more

Read more

Burke / Malone during the Little House years

Almanzo Wilder birthplace.

Read more

Read more

cottage cheese

Curdled skim milk.

Read more

Read more

Ernest & Minnie Green

This is not Mary & Edwin Sanford!

Read more

Read more

huckleberry

Let’s have some pie!

Read more

Read more

freeze drying

sublimation!

Read more

Read more

“The Gum-Tree Canoe”

1847 Steele & Winnemore song.

Read more

Read more

Doxology

Old Hundred.

Read more

Read more

whiffle-tree / whiffletree

Bar to attach traces to.

Read more

Read more

legal cap

legal document paper

Read more

Read more

Volga, Dakota Territory

Town on the Dakota Central R.R. between Brookings and Arlington, platted in 1879.

Read more

Read more

poll

No horns.

Read more

Read more

harvest moon

Full moon nearest autumnal equinox

Read more

Read more

shoe pegs

A small, pointed piece of wood, used in fastening.

Read more

Read more

Laura’s Bible references

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s hand-written list of Bible verses to be read in times of trouble or stress.

Read more

Read more

These Happy Golden Years – historical perspective

De Smet, D.T., 1883-1885.

Read more

Read more

“nervous as a witch”

restless

Read more

Read more

awl

pokes holes

Read more

Read more

checkers

Game played on a board of 64 squares.

Read more

Read more

The New York Ledger

Weekly story paper, published 1855-1898.

Read more

Read more

Uncle Sam

Figure symbolizing the United States.

Read more

Read more

William H. Steadman family

Proprietor of hotel in Burr Oak.

Read more

Read more

Turkey red

Durable red color, dyed with madder upon calico or woolen cloth.

Read more

Read more

Come Into the Garden, Maud

1855 poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

Read more

Read more

George C. Bradley

Early De Smet druggist.

Read more

Read more

Noah’s ark toy

Willie’s toy boat with animals.

Read more

Read more

Little House in the Big Woods – historical perspective

Pepin Twp., Pepin Co. Wisconsin

Read more

Read more

icicle

Conical mass of ice, formed by water freezing as it flows downward.

Read more

Read more

rags for paper

rag. A piece of cloth torn off; a tattered fragment; a shred; a...

Read more

Read more

“For the Sake o’ Somebody”

1794 Robert Burns poem.

Read more

Read more

Becky Newhall / Rebecca Stewart

Classmate of Laura Ingalls in De Smet.

Read more

Read more

gosh!

that wicked word

Read more

Read more

ground-cherry

Variety of husk tomato.

Read more

Read more

Waverly Novels

Sir Walter Scott books.

Read more

Read more

last

Mold of a foot, used in making shoes.

Read more

Read more

lief

Gladly; willingly; freely.

Read more

Read more

Will Barnes

Walnut Grove acquaintance of the Ingallses’ in the 1870s....

Read more

Read more

bracket lamp

Affixed lighting fixture.

Read more

Read more

photographs

There’s a little birdie in the camera, Rose.

Read more

Read more

Charles Ely

Early lumber man in De Smet.

Read more

Read more

“De Boatmen’s Dance”

Away Down the RIver on the O-hi-o.

Read more

Read more

dictionary

The words of a language.

Read more

Read more

Big Sioux River / Sioux River

SD-IA tributary of Missouri River.

Read more

Read more

basket

Woven container.

Read more

Read more

“To a Girl”

Poem used to describe Beatrice Sorchan.

Read more

Read more

china shepherdess / little china woman

Ingalls precious family figurine.

Read more

Read more

Supposed Speech of Regulus

From Independent Fifth Reader.

Read more

Read more

galluses / suspenders

Straps worn for holding up pants.

Read more

Read more

chilblain

Cold sores on hands and feet.

Read more

Read more

Santa Claus / Santa Clause

Ho. Ho. Ho.

Read more

Read more

door knob

Grab to open a door.

Read more

Read more

“Arkansas Traveler”

Traditional American folk song.

Read more

Read more

“What Shall the Harvest Be?”

1850 Emily Oakley poem.

Read more

Read more

wigwam

What Almanzo’s shocked oats looked like.

Read more

Read more

Hide the Thimble

You’re getting warmer…

Read more

Read more

apron

Garment protector.

Read more

Read more

antelope

Antilocapra cervicapra of North America.

Read more

Read more

tattoo

Sounds like beating drums!

Read more

Read more

mustache

Hair above the lip.

Read more

Read more

tea

A man’s drink in cold weather.

Read more

Read more

Horace / Homer Heath

Railroad-working brothers.

Read more

Read more

Great American Desert

Varying area of North America, believed at times to be uninhabitable by civilized man.

Read more

Read more

Mr. Edwards

Was he Edmund Mason?

Read more

Read more

“The Sculptor Boy”

Carrie recited it.

Read more

Read more

“The Burial of Sir John Moore”

1817 poem by Charles Wolfe.

Read more

Read more

Ida Belle Wright

Laura’s best friend in De Smet

Read more

Read more

Silver Lake

Kingsbury County prairie pothole lake.

Read more

Read more

sundogs

Bright spots on either side of the sun.

Read more

Read more

Eskimo / igloo

Tribes of arctic America and Greenland. / Snow hut.

Read more

Read more

mummy

Put. that. back.

Read more

Read more

hair receiver / hair-receiver

Container to save strands of hair in.

Read more

Read more

Little House on the Prairie – historical perspective

      The Ingalls and Quiner families...

Read more

Read more

Home Missionary Society

Group organized to raise money to start churches and Sunday schools in the west where there were none.

Read more

Read more

poultice

Applied to sores to help them heal.

Read more

Read more

De Smet Cemetery

Ma & Pa’s final resting place.

Read more

Read more

Governor of Orleans / The American Remount Association

Registered stallion leased to Almanzo Wilder 1923-1925.

Read more

Read more

cottonwood tree

Wetland plains tree, Populus fremontii.

Read more

Read more

hulled corn

Hominy.

Read more

Read more

Sale of School Lands on the Osage Diminished Reserve

LHOP cabin was on Section 36

Read more

Read more

locust

Buy this book.

Read more

Read more

Orion E. Stearns

Caught by blizzard of ’88.

Read more

Read more

Laura’s Sorosis Club speech

“My Work”

Read more

Read more

Silliman Gilbert family

Kingsbury County farmer.

Read more

Read more

dipper / ladle / skimmer

Used to remove foam when boiling maple sap.

Read more

Read more

“I Wish I Was Single Again”

1871 J.C. Beckel song.

Read more

Read more

“Lend a Helping Hand”

Hymn #22, Pure Gold for Sunday School.

Read more

Read more

composition

The act of forming a written piece.

Read more

Read more

sulky / sulky plow

One-seated conveyance.

Read more

Read more

spelling / speller

The order of letters in a word. / A book of exercises on the order of letters.

Read more

Read more

Silas Rood

Rude by name & nature?

Read more

Read more

“Coming Through the Rye”

Robert Burns tune.

Read more

Read more

chapel

Place of worship.

Read more

Read more

claim jumper / Mr. Hunter / Jack Hunt

One who ousts another from their land.

Read more

Read more

Joseph Bouchie family

Fictional Brewster family in THGY.

Read more

Read more

Stories of the Moorland

1869 book by Lizzie Bates about a young boy growing up in Scotland.

Read more

Read more

Marshall, Minnesota

Almanzo Wilder farmed here in 1879-1880.

Read more

Read more

“Darling Nellie Gray”

1856 Benjamin Hamby song.

Read more

Read more

Charleton Fuller / Gerald Fuller

Hardware store owner, partnered with his brother Gerald.

Read more

Read more

Osage Indian Treaty

Legal agreement between nations or sovereigns.

Read more

Read more

Roman candle

Flaming stars and balls firework.

Read more

Read more

De Smet today

Where I would like to be right now.

Read more

Read more

Rev. Royal Gould Wilder

Almanzo’s uncle.

Read more

Read more

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Birthday

Happy Birthday, Laura!

Read more

Read more

flag

the banner

Read more

Read more

A Tribute to the Early Day Teachers

Neva Whaley Harding tribute.

Read more

Read more

links

Helps you find what you’re looking for.

Read more

Read more

“Tubal Cain”

Charles McKay poem.

Read more

Read more

Jerome Beardsley family

De Smet hotel keeper.

Read more

Read more

Mary & Samuel Ray / Ellen & Amos Leonard

Sisters feuding over a lovely homeplace…and a man.

Read more

Read more

“The Treadmill Song”

Oliver Wendell Holmes poem set to music.

Read more

Read more

Millbank

1871 novel by Mary Jane Holmes.

Read more

Read more

album

Blank booklet for collecting autographs or photos.

Read more

Read more

hogshead

100-140 gallon cask.

Read more

Read more

Jacob Hopp

Printer and De Smet newspaper owner.

Read more

Read more

gingerbread

Chocolate frosting adds to the goodness!

Read more

Read more

“The Lotos Eaters”

Tennyson poem.

Read more

Read more

“The Battle-Cry of Freedom”

We’ll Rally Round the Flag, Boys!

Read more

Read more

These Happy Golden Years – the fictional story

Laura teaches and falls in love.

Read more

Read more

osage orange

no good to eat or for anything else

Read more

Read more

Little Georgie Dwight

He could not learn his letters!

Read more

Read more

button lamp

Improvised grease lamp.

Read more

Read more

Minnie Johnson

Laura’s schoolmate in De Smet

Read more

Read more

“Sing a Song of Sixpence”

Mother Goose rhyme.

Read more