Laura Ingalls Wilder

For the past two months, our museum has welcomed a temporary exhibit; Laura Ingalls Wilder - Journey of a Pioneer Family. It has been a delight to watch young and old dedicated Little House readers walk through the pioneer lifestyle exhibit, read the history of the Ingalls Family on story panels provided by the Laura Ingalls-Wilder Home and Museum in Mansfield, and stop to listen to the strains of fiddle music being played on Pa's fiddle, as Laura in her own voice, talks of writing the books and members of her family.

"Laura Speaks" is the only known recording of Laura, and was done later in her life. During her 80's she attended a luncheon at the Mansfield Library where the recording was made. It's a delightfully simpler time characterized by the questions asked in a formal almost stilted manner of someone not used to recording devices.

An avid Little House fan myself, I read and reread Little House books throughout my youth. Often wishing I had lived in those simpler times - and even in my early adult years, found myself drawn to the Little House television series, mostly to see how close they came to telling the story so wonderfully shared on each page of her books.

The culmination of this wonderful exhibit at the museum brought a rare treat for me. Beth Ingalls, a cousin down the lineage line, visited the museum! Beth is the great-granddaughter of Hiram Ingalls, who was Charles' (Pa) brother.

Beth is much like I picture Laura to have been. She was warm and immediately easy to talk with. In just minutes, we were old friends, and she was giving of her time and what ever information she could share. At 71, she appears much younger, and still travels to schools near her home in Wisconsin to share Laura's legacy.

One of the questions I asked her was "...when did you first realize you were an 'Ingalls'? She told me she was in High School when some friends asked if she was related to the Laura Ingalls that wrote the books. She went home and asked her grandfather, who confirmed that indeed she was, and she returned to school to say, yes, in fact she was a cousin, taking it all in stride.

Beth did say that it wasn't until she was in her 50's that she truly realized the impact of what it meant to be related to Laura, and that she needed to take on keeping Laura's legacy alive by sharing could of family stories.

I did ask about other Ingalls relatives, and she counted on both hands, and named various distant Aunts, Uncles and cousins still living. Many living in Oregon, having arrived there generations ago via the Oregon Trail.

At the end of the visit it was almost sad to say good-bye. I feel like a good friend has left to go home to Wisconsin, and it will be some time before I see her again. She did give me her email address, and solicited a promise to stay in touch. Which of course for me will be no chore, I will write her often, and save every correspondence as a little piece of American history that has personally touched my life.

And yes, I did obtain an autograph in one of my Little House books while she was here.

Thank you Laura for your wonderful stories that still touch readers today, and thank you Beth for sharing Laura's lineage and legacy.

Stormy