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copyright / permissions

Please do not plagiarize.

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James Kennedy family

Walnut Grove farming family, originally from Canada.

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zebra

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

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“Old Dan Tucker”

Mr. Edwards sings it!

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links

Helps you find what you’re looking for.

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bear grease

Bear fat hair dressing.

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gingerbread

Chocolate frosting adds to the goodness!

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Burke / Malone during the Little House years

Almanzo Wilder birthplace.

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gable

Triangular end of a building under the roof.

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Missouri Pool

Smoked a pipe & grew pretty flowers.

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Big Sioux River / Sioux River

SD-IA tributary of Missouri River.

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brakeman

Person who stops the train.

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lime / whitewash

Oxide of calcium mixed with water and used for whitening.

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Congress

Legislative body of a country.

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le cadeau du cheval

2008 horse mural composed of smaller paintings of horses,...

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“Mary of the Wild Moor”

1845 song by Joseph W. Turner.

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Declaration of Independence

Document renouncing U.S. subjection to Great Britain.

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“A Shelter in the Time of Storm”

Ira Sankey hymn.

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starry papers

Hand-made shelf edging.

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wall-paper

Wall covering.

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engine / locomotive / iron horse

Vehicle powered by steam and run on tracks.

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Laura Speaks

Al-MAN-zo, Al-MAN-zo, Al-MAN-zo

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cat’s cradle

Game played with string twisted on the fingers.

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Christopher Columbus

A native of Genoa, in Italy.

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rags for paper

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

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The Advance

Weekly family newspaper of the Congregational church.

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Volga, Dakota Territory

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

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drop the handkerchief / drop-the-handkerchief

Circle game.

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Thomas Power family

De Smet tailor.

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Hill-Billy

1926 Rose Wilder Lane book.

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“Wait for the Wagon”

Buckley and Knauff song.

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Rev. Royal Gould Wilder

Almanzo’s uncle.

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Lewis Sasse

De Smet druggist

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Ida Belle Wright

Laura’s best friend in De Smet

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Will Barnes

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

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“To a Girl”

Poem used to describe Beatrice Sorchan.

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Women’s Christian Temperance Union

W.C.T.U.

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“Uncle Ned”

One of the earliest Stephen Foster songs.

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oyster

A mollusk of the genus Ostrea, having a bivalve shell.

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thunder-pumps

American bittern, a member of the heron family.

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“The Swan’s Nest”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem.

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“Hail Columbia”

1789 Philip Phile march.

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Charles Ely

Early lumber man in De Smet.

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“Coming Through the Rye”

Robert Burns tune.

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bacon

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

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Daniel Loftus

Early drygoods store owner in De Smet.

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roller towel

Long towel with ends sewn together, hung on a rod.

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“Irish Washerwoman”

Traditional Scottish and Irish song/dance song.

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geranium

Winter windowsill flowers.

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Horace / Homer Heath

Railroad-working brothers.

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Becky Newhall / Rebecca Stewart

Classmate of Laura Ingalls in De Smet.

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Bloody Benders

Serial killers in 1870s Kansas.

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“Buy a Broom”

O Du Leiber Augustin.

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Good Templars Lodge

International temperance fraternal organization.

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Peter Riley Ingalls family

Uncle Peter & Aunt Eliza.

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The Floweret

1842 book of verse by Anna Maria Wells.

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Albert Quiner

Laura’s cousin.

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Henry Hinz

Owner of first saloon in De Smet and boarder at the Ingallses’.

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muff

A warm covering for receiving the hands.

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By the Shores of Silver Lake – historical perspective

Dakota Central comes to De Smet.

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“Polly Wolly Doodle”

Daniel Decatur Emmett song.

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peddler’s cart / wagon

A little store on wheels.

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Syndicate Hotel

Laura & Almanzo stayed there!

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needle grass

Ouch! Something bit me!

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Jesse French

Butchered oxen during the Hard Winter.

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“Highland Mary”

1799 Robert Burns songs, favorite of Mary Ingalls.

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Walnut Grove during the Little House years

Village in Redwood County, Minnesota

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Hiram Ingalls

Pa’s brother.

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“Money Musk”

Traditional American dance tune.

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stockade

Enclosure of posts or sticks.

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sewing machine

“Such beautiful stitching!”

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“It’s a Long, Long Way to Tipperary”

1912 Judge & Williams song.

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clear, pure green sky

Sunlight separated into colored bands at sunset.

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isinglass

mica for stove windows

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barrel

Round vessel or cask made of wooden staves.

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Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography

Laura’s handwritten manuscript.

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Arthur Sherwood

Brother of Carter Sherwood.

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wild prairie rose

RWL was their namesake, my dear.

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Laura, the Prairie Girl

1975-76 animated series.

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Oh Whistle and I’ll Come to You, My Lad

1793 Robert Burns poem.

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“Bo-peep has lost her sheep”

Game of hiding and surprise to amuse a small child.

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Tennyson’s Poems

Collection of works by Written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson,...

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Thomas C. Wilkin family

Florence Wilkin’s father.

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Western Reserve

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

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Fred Fields / Big Jerry

Railroad boss and his brother-in-law.

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Little House in the Big Woods – the fictional story

Once upon a time, 60 years ago…

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“The Battle-Cry of Freedom”

We’ll Rally Round the Flag, Boys!

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poll

No horns.

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“Rock of Ages”

1760s Augustus Toplady hymn.

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Ingalls office / store in De Smet

NW and SE corners of Calumet and Second.

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flag, the flower

An aquatic flower, Iris versicolor.

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orthography

The art of spelling words correctly.

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Old English letters

Variety of printing type.

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pumpkin

The plant and fruit of Curcubita pepo

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writ of attachment

Legal document requiring action.

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pullaway

Outdoor tagging game.

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The Long Winter – historical perspective

The Hard Winter of 1880-1881.

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mantel-shelf

Shelf above a fireplace.

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“The Gum-Tree Canoe”

1847 Steele & Winnemore song.

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snow-fort

“Holler ’nuff!”

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photographs

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

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Will Knight

Walnut Grove revival singer.

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album

Blank booklet for collecting autographs or photos.

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America / American

Pertaining to the United States of America.

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These Happy Golden Years – the fictional story

Laura teaches and falls in love.

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beet

Succulent root vegetable.

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Turkey red

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

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“The Star-Spangled Banner”

Our National Anthem; words by Francis Scott Key.

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turnip

Cruciferous plant grown for root and greens.

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huckleberry

Let’s have some pie!

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chapel

Place of worship.

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“Song of the Grass”

Song from Leslie and Randall’s The Conqueror, page 16.

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galumphing

To move in a clumsy, ponderous, or noisy manner.

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Mrs. Jarley’s Wax Works

Rise! Come forward!

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blizzard

In 1880-1881, a long, severe, blinding, and bitterly cold snowstorm.

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ice-house

Stores ice blocks in warm weather.

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fanning-mill

Machine for winnowing.

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On the Banks of Plum Creek – historical perspective

Walnut Grove in the 1870s.

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John James Ingalls

Senator from Kansas.

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“Marching Through Georgia”

Union song from American Civil War.

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Charles Barker

Early De Smet grocer.

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Amos Whiting family

Superintendent of Schools, De Smet.

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Little House in the Big Woods – historical perspective

Pepin Twp., Pepin Co. Wisconsin

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Johnny Johnson

“Wake up and watch the cattle!”

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Charleton Fuller / Gerald Fuller

Hardware store owner, partnered with his brother Gerald.

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Quiner graves

Abandoned cemetery off Playhouse Road.

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Eskimo / igloo

Tribes of arctic America and Greenland. / Snow hut.

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Charlotte Holbrook

Laura’s “Aunt Lotty”

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George Wilmarth family

Owner of early grocery store in De Smet.

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“The Polish Boy”

Poem by Ann S. Stephens

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the Cameron gang

fiat justitia, ruat caelum…

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pieplant

Rhubarb.

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willow-ware

Blue-and-white tableware with Chinese story paintings.

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galluses / suspenders

Straps worn for holding up pants.

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“When Johnny Comes Marching Home”

1863 Louis Lambert song.

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P A T

one seven seven ought

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“The Rock of Ages”

Painting at Rev. Brown’s.

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dickcissel / dickie-bird

A semi-nomadic finch, Spiza americana.

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braid / plait

Entwined strands.

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Carrie Ingalls

Younger sister of Laura Ingalls; she lived 1870-1946.

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“The Sculptor Boy”

Carrie recited it.

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wheelwright

One who makes wheels and carriages.

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Come Into the Garden, Maud

1855 poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

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auk

Extinct sea bird used to describe dovekie found by Charles Ingalls.

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hogshead

100-140 gallon cask.

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Poverty Flat

Early De Smet residential area.

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Horace Woodworth family

Family of first depot agent in De Smet.

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“The Treadmill Song”

Oliver Wendell Holmes poem set to music.

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Jack Frost

A popular personification of frost.

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Pa’s red & white checked mittens

Fair Isle pattern.

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Frank Schaub

Early harness maker in De Smet.

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Laura’s wedding silver

Wm. Rogers’ “Crown” silverplate.

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“Tubal Cain”

Charles McKay poem.

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osage orange

no good to eat or for anything else

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crow

Large black bird of genus Corvus.

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copperplate

Variable-width handwriting script made with a flexible, pointed nib.

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mustache

Hair above the lip.

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reindeer

Why didn’t they fly over the creek?

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butter tester

Instrument used to remove core sample from a vat of butter, for the sake of testing.

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xanthophyll

I bet you can spell this word.

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whiskey

Spirits distilled from grain.

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Little Town on the Prairie – the fictional story

Homesteading and town life.

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Supposed Speech of Regulus

From Independent Fifth Reader.

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anvil

Iron block to hammer upon.

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Charles Trousdale

De Smet drayman and his performing sons.

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“The Floating Scow of Old Virginia”

1847 Charles White song.

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velocipede

Carriage propelled by pedals or feet.

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tax

A certainty, as is death.

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silver castor

Rotating condiment set.

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“The Pied Piper”

Robert Browning poem.

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New England States

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

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bushel / peck

Dry quart measurements.

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Little House on the Prairie – the fictional story

The Ingallses in Indian Territory.

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Visscher Barnes

Probate Judge, VP of Temperance Society, and first director of De Smet school board.

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cabin / log house

A small cottage; a hut or small house.

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copper-toed shoes

Metal shoe protector.

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James McKee family

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

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yeast / yeast cakes

Bread-leavening organism.

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“Nellie was a Lady”

Pa would play some of the old songs, ‘to go to sleep...

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fascinator

Pretty, light head covering.

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dried-raspberry sauce

Dried sauce good on biscuits.

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hulled corn

Hominy.

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storm apron

Rain protection for buggy.

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harvest moon

Full moon nearest autumnal equinox

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breast-pin / brooch

Ornament worn on clothing.

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nickel

The metal. Or five-cent piece.

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Laura’s Sorosis Club speech

“My Work”

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Reverend Edwin H. Alden

Walnut Grove Congregational minister and missionary in Dakota.

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scones

“Mamabess is growing fat.”

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catechism

Question & answer book of religious doctrine.

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twilight

Light when the sun is 0-18 degrees below the horizon.

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dragon-fly / dragonfly

Mosquito hunter.

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“Bean Porridge Hot”

Bean porridge cold…

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twisting hay

Pioneer method by which dried grass is formed into compact...

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Have you seen the comet?

Tebbutt’s Great Comet of 1881.

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Osage Indian Treaty

Legal agreement between nations or sovereigns.

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“The Silver Moon”

Sail on, silver moon…

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Commentators on the Ac’s

Pa’s charade pun.

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mosquito bar / netting

Woven cloth bug barrier.

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Sale of School Lands on the Osage Diminished Reserve

LHOP cabin was on Section 36

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