It was Rose who encouraged her mother—already well-known in her community as an officer for the Mansfield Farmers Loan Association and a columnist for the Missouri Ruralist—to document her early experiences. Laura’s handwritten manuscripts can be viewed among the memorabilia showcased at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home & Museum. Today, these iconic novels continue to usher young readers to the untamed prairie, where peril waits just beyond the door but security is found inside—within the shelter of a cozy cabin, amid the enduring affections of a close-knit family, and in the indomitable human spirit.
Text Melissa Lester
Photography Mac Jamieson
For more companion materials, view our entry for Little House on the Prairie on the Book Selections page of the Victoria Classics Book Club.
