If you think this is cute you should see Buttercups picture!
We were up and at it early, we were anxious to see our first "real" Little House places. Across the river we went and back in to Pepin Wisconsin. Lots of fishermen in town and we wanted to do our thing!
The Lady in their little Museum was very sweet and was very impressed that we knew the REAL story and that I had a first Edition Book. She was very nervous to sign it but she did and put a stamp in it too. It's really a special book to me because it was the first one I received "The Little House in the Big Woods". This is where Laura and Mary were born. Pepin has dedicated a small Park to Laura Ingalls Wilder and they have a LIW Society there but it seems to be struggling a bit.
This is at the location of the "Big Woods" house, but as you can see the woods are gone. They are attempting to plant tree's around the little log house reproduction and one day it will look more like it did in her description. It felt like very hallowed ground to me.
Standing where Laura and Mary played and all their cousins and where they drove off in their wagon leaving the little house all alone in the big woods:(
Of course Buttercup had me hunting for her "Letter Boxes"!!!!! and I found it! I found it I found it!!!!!
And she fills out all the "stuff" she needs to fill out and then I get to rehide it! She's special that way:)We would have stayed at the "Little House" longer, but a big storm came up and hail came down and we got out of there pretty fast.
We visited several little Churches and communities while we were in that area. All mentioned in some of the biographies that are written about Laura.
We found this really cool old cemetery that had Many Ingalls on the stones. I'm sure they were related. I'm sure there are still many around that community related because some of the stones are not that old. I took this pictures because of the pretty bush :)
One of my most favorite places we visited! The Little Plum School! It reminded me of the grade school I went to. I wanted to rename it "LACAMAS"!!!!
I was playing teacher ~ My pupil didn't mind!
It had all the modern conveniences!
We just HAD to ring the bell! We had to I'm telling you!
Ewwwwwww this teacher looks mean!
This is the Durand County Court House. This is where Pa came to sign over and sell the Little House in Big Woods. It also was the scene of a "Hanging".. Quite a long involved story about two guys who committed some horrendous crime and one was captured and a mob drug him out and hung him from an old oak tree! Isn't it amazing how every little town has something fascinating in the closet !
In Laura's book she talks about how Pa took Ma and the girls to the edge of this beautiful lake and she tried to carry all these pebbles home. It's hard to imagine this beautiful lake in that little bitty girls eyes. In my mind, when I have read this a zillion times, I never imagined it that big .
So cute..SO CUTE CUTE ! were about where they were when they crossed the lake when it froze solid.
Then we were back on the Minnesota side and on the LIW Highway. We didn't know there would be this much to see. South Troy Minnesota is where the Ingalls family were when their baby boy "Freddie" died. The exact spot where he is buried is not marked and never been totally identified but they have this little very respectful little monument and a lovely little Church.
This shows Freddie's death certificate.
Very sad, but very nice to know he was not forgotten.
On down the highway we past by Rochester Minnesota which is the site of the Mayo Clinic! I didn't stop~
We were very close to Spring Valley where Almanzo's family but Buttercup said nooooooooo we had to move along!
This was really one of my favorite days. I have many favorite days but this was fun just wandering around the different communities. It was just a great deal of fun. Mostly it was fun to be sharing the day with my "Buttercup" :)This was our final stop. Found out Marlon Brando went to boarding school there! and was kicked out!
