Travels of a Pioneer Girl
Yes, Laura wrote about the travels of a pioneer girl, but most importantly she made the journey herself. Laura’s childhood memories served far more than just a colorful backdrop to a young girl’s coming-of-age story. Her vivid accounts paint an accurate picture of life from the 1870s -1890s. Laura truly lived a pioneer life, and through her writings of the Little House books we are better able to understand the lives of common people of her generation, particularly during the time of westward expansion in America.
Laura’s stories of her travels take us from the time when she was born in Pepin, Wisconsin, on February 7, 1867 to 1894 when Almanzo, Laura and Rose settled on Rocky Ridge Farm near Mansfield, Missouri. It was here, the last of Laura’s homes, where she wrote in the Little House books about the places she grew up.
The real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.
– Laura Ingalls Wilder
Be sure to visit our online Gift Shop to find these books that tell the stories of Laura’s Travels:
- Pepin, Wisconsin: Little House in the Big Woods
- Independence, Kansas: Little House on the Prairie
- Walnut Grove, Minnesota: On the Banks of Plum Creek
- De Smet, South Dakota: By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, These Happy Golden Years, The First Four Years