Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Home – South Dakota

June 2018

Calling all fans of Little House on the Prairie! You can actually camp on the homestead property where Pa and Ma Ingalls lived with daughters Mary, Carrie, Grace, and of course, Laura (who grew up to be Laura Ingalls Wilder).

The homestead property has reconstructed buildings, based on actual period sites, including the homestead cabin, a sod house, a church, and a school.  The gardens have plants and trees that the Ingalls would have had on their property.  There is a small fee to tour the grounds, and we paid a reasonable fee to camp overnight (with electric and water hookups).
In the town of DeSmet, a short distance away, you can take a guided tour of the Surveyors’ House, the Brewster School, and the house that Pa Ingalls built when the family left the homestead and moved into town permanently.  The two locations are run by different organizations, but both are well done and support the other.
The prairie sunset was a highlight, and brought some relief from the hot, muggy weather.  You only need one night here, but it was fun to relive scenes from the books.

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