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The New York Ledger

Weekly story paper, published 1855-1898.

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Jim River / James River

A tributary of the Missouri River.

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“Gentle Words and Loving Smiles”

Hymn 139 in Pure Gold for the Sunday School.

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“Elizabeth, Elspeth, Betsy, and Bess”

Nursery rhyme wordplay on the name Elizabeth.

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Henry Burvee

One of the first settlers in Kingsbury Co.

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basket

Woven container.

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cannon

Military engine used for throwing balls and other instruments of death by the force of gunpowder.

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Brownsville, Texas 1906

Did Eliza Jane sell fruit to these soldiers?

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John H. Carroll

Early De Smet banker.

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David Thorp

Walnut Grove teacher 1877-78.

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By the Shores of Silver Lake – the fictional story

The railroad comes to Dakota.

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bushel / peck

Dry quart measurements.

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N

nailer – nutmeg

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Frank M. Cooley family

On the Way home travelers.

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Army bugle

Brass military horn.

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powder horn / powder-horn

Animal horn in which gunpowder is carried.

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cameo

Aunt Docia’s pretty collar pin.

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Little Town on the Prairie – the fictional story

Homesteading and town life.

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Good Templars Lodge

International temperance fraternal organization.

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“Three Blind Mice”

Popular nursery song, sung in rounds.

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Missouri Ruralist

The Missouri Ruralist. A twice-monthly Missouri farm periodical...

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Grace Pearl Ingalls

Youngest sister of Laura Ingalls; she lived 1877-1941.

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Old Settler’s Day

De Smet annual reunion.

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Silver Lake

Kingsbury County prairie pothole lake.

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morning-glory

Climbing plant of the genus Ipomœa.

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New England Supper

Fund-raising communal pot-luck meal.

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“The Rock of Ages”

Painting at Rev. Brown’s.

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“I Wish I Was in Dixie’s Land”

1860 Daniel Decatur Emmett song.

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“To a Girl”

Poem used to describe Beatrice Sorchan.

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scour / scouring brick

To rub hard for the purpose of cleaning.

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cottonwood tree

Wetland plains tree, Populus fremontii.

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Ida Belle Wright

Laura’s best friend in De Smet

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amen / amen corner

Expression used at the end of prayers.

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“Nellie was a Lady”

…last night she died

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butter

Edible fatty substance made by churning cream.

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roller skates / rink

Wheeled frame for the shoe.

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button lamp

Improvised grease lamp.

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Edelbert Harthorn family / Frank Harthorn & Mabel Burd

Father and son owners of early drygoods store in De Smet.

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P

Pa – pussy-in-the-corner

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Kingsbury County, D.T.

County in eastern South Dakota, organized in 1879.

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buckwheat pancakes

Seeds of the flowering plant Eriogonum used as a grain.

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Charlotte Holbrook

Laura’s “Aunt Lotty”

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“Jerusalem the Golden”

Hymn from Pure Gold for the Sunday School.

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ice-house

Stores ice blocks in warm weather.

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freeze drying

sublimation!

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windlass

Device to move water or dirt from the bottom of a well to ground level.

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legal cap

legal document paper

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“Oh Boys, Carry Me Along”

Stephen Foster song.

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Fred Fields / Big Jerry

Railroad boss and his brother-in-law.

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“Life Let Us Cherish”

1796 Swiss song translated to English.

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De Smet today

Where I would like to be right now.

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“Paul Revere’s Ride”

Poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

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A

aboveboard – axle

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Protected: Alfred Ely

One of the younger boys in school.

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“The Floating Scow of Old Virginia”

1847 Charles White song.

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winnow

Drive off chaff by wind.

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mantel-shelf

Shelf above a fireplace.

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Laura Remington

Mrs. Phillip Aubrey Lawrence

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pork-pickle

Salt and sugar pork brine.

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clove apple / clove-apple

Spice-preserved fruit decoration.

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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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buttonhook

Curved metal tool for fastening shoes.

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axle grease

Lubricant for wagon wheels and other machinery.

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Protected: bell

The noise-maker, not the milliner.

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Father Pierre Jean De Smet

Missionary for whom the town of De Smet was named

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wall-paper

Wall covering.

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flag

the banner

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Edward H. Couse

Early hardware store owner in De Smet.

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gloves / mittens / mitts

fingerless hand and wrist cover

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“For the Sake o’ Somebody”

1794 Robert Burns poem.

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On the Banks of Plum Creek – the fictional story

Farming struggles in Minnesota.

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satchel

Small, soft-sided handled luggage.

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silver castor

Rotating condiment set.

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Women’s Christian Temperance Union

W.C.T.U.

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Perry School

April 28 – June 27, 1884

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“Darling Nellie Gray”

1856 Benjamin Hamby song.

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Mr. Anderson / Niels Kopperud

Hard Winter wheat settler

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Delos Perry family

The Perry School was on his homestead.

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“Buffalo Gals”

1844 Virginia Minstrels song.

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accordion

musical instrument

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Charles Ingalls: The Civil War Years

Charles Ingalls: the Civil War Years

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William H. Steadman family

Proprietor of hotel in Burr Oak.

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“Give us this day our daily bread”

The City, a Mc Kee plain glassware pattern.

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ante-over / anti-over / anteover

Game in which a ball is thrown over a structure.

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honey

Bee-made sweetness.

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J

jabot – Justice of the Peace

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The Long Winter – the fictional story

Winter for seven months!

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locust

Buy this book.

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“Uncle Sam’s Farm”

1848 Jesse Hutchinson, Jr. song.

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P A T

one seven seven ought

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Charleton Fuller / Gerald Fuller

Hardware store owner, partnered with his brother Gerald.

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braid / plait

Entwined strands.

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Kitty

the Ingallses’ cat in Dakota Territory

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Alfred Thomas

He was MARRIED, people!!

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Perley Day Wilder

Almanzo’s youngest brother.

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Baby Boy Wilder

Son of Laura and Almanzo Wilder

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nickel

The metal. Or five-cent piece.

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“Lilly Dale” / “Lily Dale”

1852 song by H.S. Thomson.

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jewel box / jewel-box

Nice place to keep a breast-pin.

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crocheted rag rug

Crocheted floor covering made of strips of cloth.

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cream of tartar / baking powder

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

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bracket lamp

Affixed lighting fixture.

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Protected: private post

Go away AI; you are not welcome here.

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fever ‘n’ ague / malaria

malaria

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copyright / permissions

Please do not plagiarize.

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“The Whip-Poor-Will’s Song”

1865 Harrison Millard song.

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Timber Culture Act / tree claim

Passed by Congress, March 3, 1873.

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“The Good Old Way”

Hymn 18, Pure Gold for the Sunday School.

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Thomas P. Power family

De Smet tailor.

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Burke / Malone during the Little House years

Almanzo Wilder birthplace.

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“Sweet By and By”

Pa’s favorite hymn.

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Doxology

Old Hundred.

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“The Burial of Sir John Moore”

1817 poem by Charles Wolfe.

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census taker

Statistical registration of members of a country.

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Walter Ogden

Surveyors’ House housemate 1879-80

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nubia

A light scarf worn about the head and neck.

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cranberry

Good ones bounce!

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yoke

Frame worn on the neck for lifting or drawing.

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twine

A strong twisted thread.

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starry papers

Hand-made shelf edging.

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“The Star-Spangled Banner”

Our National Anthem; words by Francis Scott Key.

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Santa Claus / Santa Clause

Ho. Ho. Ho.

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bull dog / bulldog

All of him rested, except his ears.

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Henry Hinz

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

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barrel

Round vessel or cask made of wooden staves.

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These Happy Golden Years – the fictional story

Laura teaches and falls in love.

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“Arkansas Traveler”

Traditional American folk song.

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“Old Dan Tucker”

Mr. Edwards sings it!

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squirrel

Rodent mammal of the genus Sciurus.

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“Don’t Leave the Farm, Boys”

Song from The Conqueror.

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Adam / adam’s apple

The first man, the progenitor of the human race.

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“Rock of Ages”

1760s Augustus Toplady hymn.

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oyster

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

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New Ulm, Minnesota

Town in Brown Co., MN.

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mercury / thermometer

Used to measure air temperature.

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garnet

Deep orange-red gemstone.

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Dr. Robert Hoyt

Husband of Mattie Masters.

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Marvin Hughitt

Officer and President of the Chicago & NorthWestern Railway Company.

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Introspections of an Individualist

Norma Lee Browning article about Rose Wilder Lane.

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“A Life on the Ocean Wave”

1847 Epes Sargent poem put to music.

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bake oven / bake-oven

Coals on top and below.

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cupola

Dome-like vault on a public building.

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Chariton County, Missouri

Location of land purchased in 1868 by Charles Ingalls, Henry Quiner, and Tom Quiner.

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

1793 Robert Burns poem.

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quarter section / quarter-section

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

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Commentators on the Ac’s

Pa’s charade pun.

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Visscher Barnes

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

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“Bonny Doon”

1792 Robert Burns song.

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claim jumper / Mr. Hunter / Jack Hunt

One who ousts another from their land.

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Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography

Laura’s handwritten manuscript.

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Little House in the Big Woods – the fictional story

Once upon a time, 60 years ago…

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John James Ingalls

Senator from Kansas.

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brakeman

Person who stops the train.

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New England States

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

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I

“I am Mrs. Jinks…” – “I wouldn’t marry a farmer”

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Turkey red

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

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Mary Power & Edwin Sanford

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

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Roman candle

Flaming stars and balls firework.

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anvil

Iron block to hammer upon.

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wristlets

Knitted bands worn around the wrists for warmth.

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“The Treadmill Song”

Oliver Wendell Holmes poem set to music.

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pullaway

Outdoor tagging game.

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checkers

Game played on a board of 64 squares.

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The House that Jack Built

…for two pieces of money.

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“The Swan’s Nest”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem.

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lief

Gladly; willingly; freely.

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Johnny Johnson

“Wake up and watch the cattle!”

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James McKee family

Homesteader north of Manchester D.T.

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peddler’s cart / wagon

A little store on wheels.

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slate

Stone used as tablet for writing upon.

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Young Pioneers

David and Molly Beaton.

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perforated paper embroidery

Stitched designs.

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Bad Lands

Area eroded by wind & water.

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Walnut Grove during the Little House years

Village in Redwood County, Minnesota

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birthday

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

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“Bean Porridge Hot”

Bean porridge cold…

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dove-in-the-window / bear’s tracks

Patchwork pattern variations.

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“Golden Years are Passing By”

1879 Will Thompson song.

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dried-raspberry sauce

Dried sauce good on biscuits.

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B

bachelor – “by the pale, silver light…”

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fascinator

Pretty, light head covering.

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Royal Wilder

Almanzo’s older brother.

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milk pan / milk-pan / milkpan

Where cream rises.

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clinched nail

Bent at a right angle.

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“Pop! Goes the Weasel”

Traditional American song.

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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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“Gaily Now Our Boat is Sailing”

Singing school exercise

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auger

hand drill

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Timothy Johnson family

De Smet Wagon Shop.

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engine / locomotive / iron horse

Vehicle powered by steam and run on tracks.

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The Story of Art Smith

1915 Rose Wilder Lane serial about an aviator.

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George Whiting Ingalls

Bugle-blowing, jigging uncle.

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George Wilmarth family

Owner of early grocery store in De Smet.

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cornmeal mush / hasty pudding

Cornmeal and water, cooked.

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lantern

A light meant to be carried.

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muskrat

Their houses predict winter weather.

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coal / coal hod

Carbonized plant matter mined and used as fuel.

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bale

Specific bundle of goods packaged for transport.

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poll

No horns.

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Protected: trundle bed

Low bed stored under higher bed.

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