This Kansas Museum Is a Literary Pilgrimage for Fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder

If you're a fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books and want to retrace her family’s journey, there are several destinations throughout the country that honor the writer’s experience. In Independence, Kansas, the Little House on the Prairie Museum allows you to explore the pioneer way of life on the site of her former homestead.

Laura Ingalls Wilder is best known for her Little House series of books depicting her family’s life on the American frontier in the nineteenth century. Laura Ingalls was born in 1867 in Pepin, Wisconsin. Her book series follows the family’s pioneer lifestyle across their moves to Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, and Missouri.

Why This Destination Is Perfect for Little House on the Prairie Fans

Perhaps Wilder’s most famous book, Little House on the Prairie, was based on her family’s time living on a homestead near Independence, Kansas. Today, the land is home to the Little House on the Prairie Museum. 

Little House on the Prairie Museum showcases the history and legacy of the Little House series. It highlights Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life and experiences as well as the impact of her writing. Whether you are a fan of Wilder’s stories or an American history enthusiast, the museum allows you to step into the pioneer life on the Great Plains. 

The world of Little House on the Prairie jumps off the page as you enter a reproduction of the Ingalls cabin. Imagine your favorite stories from the book taking place in a space much like this one-room cabin. It was built in the same size and style as the Ingalls family’s home where Carrie Ingalls was born. Now this is a getaway Little House on the Prairie fans travel for.

Little House on the Prairie Museum offers more ways to experience pioneer life. The museum also includes the Historic Sunny Side Schoolhouse. Students attended classes in the authentic one-room schoolhouse from 1872 to 1947. Learn how settlers communicated from the frontier at the historic Wayside Post Office, built in 1885. Visit the barn to meet friendly mules, miniature donkeys, and miniature horses and learn about the role of animals on the frontier. Don’t miss the gift shop to take home prairie-inspired keepsakes and books, of course. Above all, soak in the sweeping prairie views that Wilder and her family enjoyed on this very spot.

Tips for Planning Your Literary Pilgrimage

The Little House on the Prairie Museum is a must-see Literary destination in Independence on a Laura Ingalls Wilder-themed road trip. For more Little House road trip stops, follow this Laura Ingalls Wilder route through the Upper Midwest, and don’t miss the home where she wrote her books in Missouri, just 300 miles east of Independence. 

If you want to enjoy the landscape that Wilder once traversed, consider this nearby wildflower bloom hike or a short hike on the Post Oak Self-Guiding Nature Trail.

Are there other literary destinations in Kansas you recommend? Let us know by filling out this nomination form. We'd love to hear from you. If you're feeling inspired to discover more destinations where you can experience the pioneer past, try planning your own trip using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.