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Great American Desert

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

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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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How well do you know the Little House books?

a quiz for you!

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“I Wish I Was Single Again”

1871 J.C. Beckel song.

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Protected: George C. Westervelt

Renter of the Ingalls building in De Smet, winter 1884-1885.

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snow-fort

“Holler ’nuff!”

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Mary Amelia Ingalls

First child of Caroline and Charles Ingalls, 1865-1928; she lost her sight at age 15.

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“Bonny Doon”

1792 Robert Burns song.

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Singing School

Choral music classes

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Women’s Christian Temperance Union

W.C.T.U.

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buffalo / bison

bison

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Spin-offs and Adaptations of the Little House Books

Not by LIW, but kindred publications.

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Pre-1906 and 1912 De Smet Panoramic Photos

A view in every direction.

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Mother Goose

Fictionalized compiler of ancient nursery rhymes.

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“The Ninety and Nine”

Elizabeth Clephane poem.

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album

Blank booklet for collecting autographs or photos.

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J

jabot – Justice of the Peace

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“The Swan’s Nest”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem.

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I

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

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Doxology

Old Hundred.

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Laura’s wedding silver

Wm. Rogers’ “Crown” silverplate.

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gable

Triangular end of a building under the roof.

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mantel-shelf

Shelf above a fireplace.

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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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surveyor

One who measures land and delineates the same on paper.

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Peytona & Fashion

Currier & Ives print at Rocky Ridge Farm.

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“Daisy Deane”

1863 song by Union soldiers.

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the children’s blizzard

January 12, 1888, blizzard.

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Little House in the Big Woods – historical perspective

Pepin Twp., Pepin Co. Wisconsin

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Charles Ely

Early lumber man in De Smet.

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Jim River / James River

A tributary of the Missouri River.

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L

lace – lynx

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dumpling

Dough cooked in liquid.

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Margaret Garland family / Cap Garland

Family living behind the Ingallses in De Smet.

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oranges

Citrus fruit.

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building paper / tar paper

Crude building paper used for covering.

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Dr. E. Gomer Davies

First doctor in De Smet.

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dovekie

Arctic aquatic bird, Alle alle.

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Royal Wilder

Almanzo’s older brother.

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Indian camps

Look! Beads!

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satchel

Small, soft-sided handled luggage.

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Perry School

April 28 – June 27, 1884

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“Come In and Shut the Door”

Circa 1862 song by J.P.H.

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pasteboard / lambrequin

Paperboard used as base for decorative edging.

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swan

Cygnus Americanus

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Henry O. Quiner family

Ma’s brother, married to Pa’s sister Polly.

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The House that Jack Built

…for two pieces of money.

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wall-paper

Wall covering.

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jumping jack / jumping-jack

Jointed acrobat toy.

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“The Sculptor Boy”

Carrie recited it.

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Y

“Yankee Doodle” – Youth’s Companion

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Laura & Almanzo Wilder house in De Smet

Home of Almanzo, Laura, & Rose 1892-1894

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chilblain

Cold sores on hands and feet.

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“Old Dan Tucker”

Mr. Edwards sings it!

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Lewis Sasse

De Smet druggist

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engine / locomotive / iron horse

Vehicle powered by steam and run on tracks.

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John James Ingalls

Senator from Kansas.

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ice cream social

Laura and Almanzo didn’t enjoy it.

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President George Washington

First President of the U.S.A.

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“Paul Revere’s Ride”

Poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

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Brownsville, Texas 1906

Did Eliza Jane sell fruit to these soldiers?

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“Captain Jinks”

1868 comedic opera song.

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Julia & Amasa Tower

Walnut Grove church friends.

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Johnny Johnson

“Wake up and watch the cattle!”

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copyright / permissions

Please do not plagiarize.

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udder

Where the milk is before milking.

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“Money Musk”

Traditional American dance tune.

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sundogs

Bright spots on either side of the sun.

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surveyors’ house

railroad section house occupied by the Ingallses in 1879-1880

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milking-stool

Three legs (the cow has the udder).

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hogshead

100-140 gallon cask.

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isinglass

mica for stove windows

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cranberry

Good ones bounce!

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auk

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

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Home Missionary Society

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

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sheep sorrel

Tastes like lemon… or springtime?

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Silliman Gilbert family

Kingsbury County farmer.

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Henry Burvee

One of the first settlers in Kingsbury Co.

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poor man’s fertilizer

Snow plowed into a field.

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organ

musical instrument

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Godey’s Lady’s Book

Women’s magazine, 1830-1898.

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accordion

musical instrument

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Missouri Ruralist

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

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“Miller Boy”

“Grab!”

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“Irish Washerwoman”

Traditional Scottish and Irish song/dance song.

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whiffle-tree / whiffletree

Bar to attach traces to.

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“Uncle Sam’s Farm”

1848 Jesse Hutchinson, Jr. song.

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chewing gum

Long white sticks of chewiness.

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Lansford James Ingalls family

Pa’s brother and Laura’s uncle.

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muff

A warm covering for receiving the hands.

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Declaration of Independence

Document renouncing U.S. subjection to Great Britain.

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lemon

The citrus fruit

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stanchion

Support frame.

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“Nellie was a Lady”

…last night she died

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Thanksgiving

Public celebration of divine goodness.

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Come Into the Garden, Maud

1855 poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

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morning-glory

Climbing plant of the genus Ipomœa.

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smoke stack / smokestack

locomotive firebox chimney

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Mr. Clancy / Chauncey Clayson

Drygoods store owner, Chauncey Clayson

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railroad cut / fill

How you level a railroad grade.

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post office / post-office

Where you send and receive mail.

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De Smet today

Where I would like to be right now.

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Caroline Ingalls

Mother of Laura Ingalls. She lived 1839-1924.

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John Ensign family

Quit crying, Howard.

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“Keep the Horse Shoe Over the Door”

1880 Joseph Skelley song.

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K

Kansas – knothole

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Supposed Speech of Regulus

From Independent Fifth Reader.

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elephant

A very large quadruped.

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hatchet

A small ax with a short handle, to be used with one hand.

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forfeits

Game in which items are deposited and redeemable by a sportive fine.

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braid / plait

Entwined strands.

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Bloody Benders

Serial killers in 1870s Kansas.

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“My Sabbath Home”

Hymn #7, Pure Gold for the Sunday School.

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gopher

Four don’t go fur…

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Laura Remington

Mrs. Phillip Aubrey Lawrence

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fever ‘n’ ague / malaria

malaria

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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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Good Templars Lodge

International temperance fraternal organization.

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Florence Bell

Milliner and dressmaker in De Smet.

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“Barbary Allen”

Old Scotch tune.

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latch / latch-string

It’s always out!

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ash withe / ash-withe

A flexible, slender twig or branch used as a band for tying.

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yeast / yeast cakes

Bread-leavening organism.

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

1793 Robert Burns poem.

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Tennyson’s Poems

Christmas present for Laura

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“The Battle-Cry of Freedom”

We’ll Rally Round the Flag, Boys!

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Daniel Loftus

Early drygoods store owner in De Smet.

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what-not / whatnot

An étagère for books & ornaments.

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Pioneer Press

St. Paul newspaper read by Charles Ingalls in De Smet

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Walter Ogden

Surveyors’ House housemate 1879-80

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The Story of Art Smith

1915 Rose Wilder Lane serial about an aviator.

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parsnip

Pastinaca edulis, a white, spindle-shaped root vegetable.

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Carrie Ingalls, Homesteader

W-NW & W-SW 9-4N-20E of Black Hills Meridian

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water alcove

Railroad car water for drinking.

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George Wilmarth family

Owner of early grocery store in De Smet.

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“Here’s to the Maiden”

1780 R.B. Sheridan drinking song.

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grippe

influenza

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dickcissel / dickie-bird

A semi-nomadic finch, Spiza americana.

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“Rock of Ages”

1760s Augustus Toplady hymn.

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ground-cherry

Variety of husk tomato.

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On the Banks of Plum Creek – historical perspective

Walnut Grove in the 1870s.

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Santa Claus / Santa Clause

Ho. Ho. Ho.

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Big Tracy Cut

“100 feet deep & tapering off for 1/4 mile”

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bobolink

On Mary Power’s name card.

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brakeman

Person who stops the train.

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Oscar Rhuel / Röhl

A romantic figure…

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cat’s cradle

Game played with string twisted on the fingers.

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name card / name-card

Pasteboard identification.

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auger

hand drill

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emigrant car

Railroad car used to move a settler and/or a settler’s goods.

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“Lilly Dale” / “Lily Dale”

1852 song by H.S. Thomson.

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buffalo beans

Prairie ground plum.

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riot / Tracy railroad strike

Tracy in June, not De Smet in September

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Docia Ingalls / Hiram Forbes

Sister of Charles Ingalls married to railroad contractor.

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Spookendyke

Rose’s stubborn donkey

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locust

Buy this book.

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Hiram Ingalls

Pa’s brother.

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carved wooden bracket

Place for a china shepherdess.

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Protected: Manchester, Dakota Territory

Railroad town west of De Smet

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“Golden Years are Passing By”

1879 Will Thompson song.

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garnet

Deep orange-red gemstone.

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Frank M. Cooley family

On the Way home travelers.

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mosquito bar / netting

Woven cloth bug barrier.

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“Mountain of the Lord”

Hymn #52, Pure Gold for the Sunday School

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oyster

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

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“In the Starlight”

1878 Glover & Carpenter song.

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World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition

Destination of the Wilder brothers in the fall of 1884.

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pieplant

Rhubarb.

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stockade

Enclosure of posts or sticks.

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Charles & Martha Harrison / Patterson

Charles and Elizabeth May Rundle.

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“Gaily Now Our Boat is Sailing”

Singing school exercise

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“The Blue Juniata”

1841 Marion Dix Sullivan song.

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Kingsbury County, D.T.

County in eastern South Dakota, organized in 1879.

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Pure Gold for the Sunday School

Hymnal owned by the Ingalls family.

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Rev. Royal Gould Wilder

Almanzo’s uncle.

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Verdigris River

River that runs through Montgomery County, Kansas.

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Laura & Lansford Ingalls

Grandpa & Grandma Ingalls

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“Paddle Your Own Canoe”

1850s Harry Clifton song.

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Dr. William H. York

Bender victim

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“The Rock of Ages”

Painting at Rev. Brown’s.

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ice cream / ice-cream

Sweetened cream, congealed by freezing.

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Mary Power & Edwin Sanford

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

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beard / whiskers

Facial hair.

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popcorn

Heat makes it burst & it’s tasty.

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black bird / blackbird

Name given to various American birds.

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Frogs at School

“Twenty froggies went to school…”

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biscuits

A kind of un-fermented bread, formed into flat cakes, and baked.

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“Coming Through the Rye”

Robert Burns tune.

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tea

A man’s drink in cold weather.

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scones

“Mamabess is growing fat.”

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“Mary of the Wild Moor”

1845 song by Joseph W. Turner.

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Willard Seelye

De Smet teacher, 1881-1882.

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Reverend Stewart Sheldon

American Home Missionary Society Superintendent 1874-1886.

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Mr. Hanson

Walnut Grove land trader.

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herd

A number of large beasts assembled together.

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badger

Don’t poke it with a stick!

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killdeer

Small aquatic bird.

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Adam / adam’s apple

The first man, the progenitor of the human race.

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cottonwood tree

Wetland plains tree, Populus fremontii.

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