Member Profiles

Laura Ingalls Wilder Park and Museum
By Meagan Seele

The National Registry of Historic Places

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Park and Museum is registered on the National Registry of Historical Places. This landmark is the only childhood home that is still standing in its original form. The museum is located just 10 miles north of Decorah, in Burr Oak, Iowa. The Park and Museum recently received a grant enabling them to renovate the old bank building that is located across the street. The gift shop, offices, and storage units will be transferred shortly to this building, and the entrance to the museum will be transformed back into the tavern to better replicate its original structure when the Ingalls family lived there.

The restoration process of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Park and Museum began in 1973 and was open to the public in 1976. Each year the museum accumulates different belongings and keepsakes of Laura and her family. They are donated from other museums in the United States because they feel that this particular landmark in Burr Oak is so unique to the others. In addition, a local woman designed and constructed life-size dolls representing each member of the Ingalls family. These dolls are displayed in the museum's living room to give more realization to the history of the hotel.

Every year the Museum welcomes between 10,000 and 15,000 visitors. There are tourists that come from every state in the United States and 23 foreign countries. Local schools partake in class trips to the Park and Museum totaling around 1300 additional visitors.

History

The Steadman's, friends of the family, invited the Ingalls to Burr Oak, shortly after their farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota was destroyed by the grasshoppers. The Ingalls family managed the 11-room hotel that was built in the 1850's. The Hotel served as a resting place for the many families riding the stage across the country. Pa Ingalls was hired to run the Masters Hotel and Ma served as the cook, fixing meals for up to 20 people per day. Laura and her siblings helped with various duties around the hotel such as laundry and dishes and watching the Steadman boys. The Ingalls were only in Northeast Iowa for one year, and they soon decided to keep moving westward on the stage.

Laura Days

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Park and Museum holds an annual celebration the second Sunday in June. The highlight of the celebration is the crowning of "Little Miss Laura." This is a very prestigious award given to an area girl. She acts as an ambassador to the Museum and holds a very important position because she serves as the spokesperson for the museum linking it to the community.

Laura Days was held on June 9, 2002 and was quite unique this year. The special guests were William Anderson, author and expert of Laura and her heritage, and Jim LaMarche, illustrator of the newly released book on Laura Ingalls WildersÕ time spent in Burr Oak. The publishing company, Harper Collins started the Laura Ingalls Wilder series in 1932. The series has been published in 44 different languages and has never been out of circulation.

2002 marks the first year that the Museum and Park will be open year round. The visiting hours run Sundays Noon to 4 pm, and Monday through Saturday (June - August) 9 am to 5 pm. Other times can be arranged by appointment. Come by and give this local landmark a visit.