Table of Contents
Who Was Laura Ingalls Wilder?
Laura Ingalls Wilder, an influential American author, published Little House in the Big Woods in 1932, marking the beginning of her celebrated Little House series. This series would later inspire the popular television adaptation, Little House on the Prairie. Wilder completed the last book in the series in 1943. She passed away on February 10, 1957, at the age of 90 on her farm in Mansfield, Missouri.
Early Life
Born on February 7, 1867, to Charles and Caroline Ingalls, Laura spent her formative years in a log cabin located near Pepin, Wisconsin. In her writings, she referred to this early home as “The Little House in the Big Woods.” In 1869, when Laura was just two years old, her family relocated to Kansas, which would later serve as the inspiration for her book Little House on the Prairie. Laura was the second of five children, with an older sister named Mary, two younger sisters, Carrie and Grace, and a younger brother, Charles, who tragically passed away at nine months old. Reflecting on her early years, Wilder described them as “full of sunshine and shadow.”
Throughout her childhood, Laura and her pioneer family frequently moved across the Midwest. In 1874, they settled in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Although their stay in Walnut Grove lasted only two years due to a failed crop, it ultimately became the backdrop for the television series based on her life, which aired from 1974 to 1982.
In the autumn of 1878, the Ingalls family returned to Walnut Grove. The following year, they moved again, becoming homesteaders in the Dakota Territory, eventually settling in De Smet, South Dakota.
Teaching Career
Due to their frequent relocations, Wilder and her siblings primarily engaged in self-directed learning, supplemented by local schooling whenever possible. Laura’s decision to become a teacher was motivated by economic necessity, particularly as her older sister Mary was attending a school for the blind. In 1882, Wilder successfully passed the examination to obtain her teaching certificate. At just 15 years old, she began her career teaching at a one-room schoolhouse located 12 miles from her family home, which was the first of several teaching positions she held. During her tenure at Bouchie School, her parents often arranged for a family friend, Almanzo Wilder, to transport her home for weekend visits.
Marriage and Children
During their wagon rides home, Laura Ingalls and Almanzo Wilder developed a deep affection for each other. They married on August 25, 1885, at a Congregational church in South Dakota. Following their marriage, Laura left her teaching career to focus on raising children and assisting Almanzo with farm work. In the winter of 1886, they welcomed a daughter, Rose, into their family. However, their joy was tempered by tragedy when, in August 1889, they had a son who sadly passed away within a month of his birth. Compounding their hardships, Almanzo contracted diphtheria, resulting in partial paralysis. In 1890, the couple faced another devastating blow when their home was destroyed by fire.
After four years of instability, the Wilders purchased a 200-acre farm in the Ozarks of Mansfield, Missouri, in 1894. They named it Rocky Ridge Farm, where they built a farmhouse, raised livestock, and managed all aspects of their farming operations.
The ‘Little House’ Series
In the 1910s, their daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, now a reporter for the San Francisco Bulletin, encouraged Laura to recount her childhood experiences. Although her initial attempt at an autobiography titled Pioneer Girl was rejected by publishers in the 1920s, Laura remained determined. Over the following years, she reworked her manuscript, ultimately deciding to shift the narrative perspective to the third person.
In 1932, Laura published Little House in the Big Woods, marking the beginning of her autobiographical series of children’s books collectively known as the Little House series. Each book recounts a significant period of her life, starting with her childhood in Pepin, Wisconsin. Collaborating closely with her daughter Rose, Laura produced several titles, including Little House on the Prairie, Farmer Boy, On the Banks of Plum Creek, By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, and These Happy Golden Years. Laura completed the final book in the series in 1943, at the age of 76.
Later Life and Death
After Almanzo’s passing in 1949, Laura remained at Rocky Ridge, engaging with her readers by reading and responding to fan mail. She died on February 10, 1957, at the farm in Mansfield, Missouri. Following her death, Rose edited and published several works based on Laura’s diaries and incomplete manuscripts.
The television adaptation Little House on the Prairie, which aired from 1974 to 1982, further popularized Laura Wilder’s story. Actress Melissa Gilbert’s heartfelt portrayal of Laura captivated audiences, highlighting both her challenges and triumphs. The show reignited interest in Laura’s life and led to new generations discovering the Little House books.
Award Controversy
In 1954, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) honored Laura with a medal, leading to the establishment of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, recognizing authors for their contributions to children’s literature. However, in June 2018, the ALSC announced a name change to the Children’s Literature Legacy Award due to concerns over Wilder’s depictions of Native Americans in her writings.
The ALSC stated, “This decision was made in consideration of the fact that Wilder’s legacy, as represented by her body of work, includes expressions of stereotypical attitudes inconsistent with ALSC’s core values of inclusiveness, integrity and respect, and responsiveness.”
The organization clarified that changing the award’s name or creating a new award would not limit access to Wilder’s works or suppress discussions about them. They emphasized that these actions do not constitute censorship and do not undermine intellectual freedom, encouraging continued engagement with Wilder’s literature.