My "Little House" Pet Peeve: The TV Show Ingalls Family IS NOT the Real Ingalls Family

I'm easy going, Laura Ingalls Wilder fans. I don't complain a lot and I try to take life as it comes. But with all of the publicity surrounding "Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography " there's something that's been happening a lot lately and it's sticking in my craw.

Images of the wrong family are being used to portray the Ingalls family in articles and reviews. 

For example, this article from The Guardian:

And this article from The Express about "the real" Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Come again? That's not "the real" Laura Ingalls Wilder.

The problem isn't exclusive to reviews of "Pioneer Girl," though. For example this blog post discussing racism in the "Little House" series of books:

People. This is the REAL Ingalls family:

Ingalls Family L-R: Caroline, Carrie, Laura, Charles, Grace, Mary

This IS NOT the real Ingalls family:

When talking about the real Laura Ingalls Wilder, her friends and family, can we please use photos of the real Laura Ingalls Wilder, her friends, and family?

I realize there are people who are fond of the "Little House on the Prairie" television series and I don't begrudge them that. But if a writer is going to the trouble of writing an article about "the real" Laura Ingalls Wilder, or discussing "real" situations that happened to the Ingalls family, illustrating a piece with a photo of the fictional family is lazy writing and tells me the author can't be bothered to do his or her research.

To make it worse, when I geek out about LIW as I'm often known to do, there are people who didn't know Laura Ingalls Wilder was a real person. OR they know she was a real person but they think the events portrayed in the TV show are true to life.

There is very little about the Ingalls family in Little House on the Prairie TV show that even remotely resembles the family of the real Charles and Caroline Ingalls.

The Ingalls family had no adopted children

No, Virginia. The Ingalls never adopted a son named Albert.

Even today, there are people wondering why the real Laura Ingalls Wilder didn't write about her adopted brother Albert. Dude. There was no Albert. He was a figment of Michael Landon's imagination just like the rest of the "Little House on the Prairie" TV series. There was no Cassandra, no Albert doing drugs, no climbing to the top of the mountain (as if Walnut Grove actually had mountains), and no Nellie Olsen running a hotel.

The Ingalls family didn't live most of their life in Walnut Grove, MN

The town of DeSmet, SD and it's rich history would have made an awesome backdrop for a TV series.

Though the years the Ingalls family lived in Walnut Grove, MN were notable ones: Grasshoppers, floods, Laura braving a bridge as she sought help for her sick Mom. the truth is, the Ingalls family didn't spend many years there. Laura and Almanzo certainly didn't meet there, and the whole town didn't blow up once the entire Little House gang was done with it. 

The real Ingalls family were the first settlers in the town of De Smet, SD. They moved there when the real Laura Ingalls Wilder was 12 years old. They weren't"among" the first settlers, but the actual first people to say "hey, we're going to live here" thanks to the the kind surveyors who let the family winter in their home.

This is what makes me grumpiest. There is history here. The founding of a town and all the characters in the town? Man, that would have made an awesome series! The birth of a new town? Cap Garland? The comedy team of Almanzo and Royal Wilder? Laura watching the town drunks as she sewed her buttonholes? Lazy, Lousy Lisa Jane? I can tell you that the true life Ingalls family was more entertaining and interesting than the TV Little Housers.

Also? Why is no one in the Masters family featured in the television series at all? This is a family that played prominently in the Ingalls family's history - at least during the time the Little House books take place. Man, that kooky crew would have been better fodder than the Garveys.

There is so much that could have been used from Laura and her family's real life adventures which would have been way more interesting than the  Little House on the Prairie TV series we saw on NBC. And I'm not saying that to knock the series, (even though it became unwatchable for me after the first couple of seasons) I'm saying that because the series could have been so much better than it was if we had just stuck with the history of the Ingalls family. It had all the elements of an awesome TV series: excitement; intrigue, and romance, and no one would have had to compromise family values to get us there. Instead, Landon relied on the tugging of the heartstrings and many unlikely scenarios.

Mary Ingalls was never married

Mary Ingalls never married.

Sigh. No. Sorry Adam Kendall. Sorry blind school in Walnut Grove that never actually existed. Sorry all those extras who were on set to be used as blind kids. The real Mary Ingalls famously went to the Iowa School for the Blind in Vinton Iowa. She attended for several years  and then came home to live with her parents. After her parents passed away she lived first with Grace and then with Carrie. There was no man in her life and she didn't found a school for the blind. Yet, there are people today who think this really happened because a TV show took a few too many editorial liberties.

Yes, I know the "Little House" books were considered Historical Fiction

Now, it was pointed out to me one Sunday afternoon that the The Little House Books took a few editorial liberties of their own. I get that. Though letters between Laura Ingalls Wilder and her daughter and editor, Rose Wilder Lane show she argued to keep the books as truthful as possible, it's true that the Wilder women DID make the story into a work of fiction to sell as a series of juveniles. With that said, they still managed to capture the essence and pioneer spirit of the Ingalls family and stay true to much of their history and core values. The television series became so far removed from the real story of the Ingalls that one can't even argue that the two situations are similar.

Can we please stop using photos of the fake Ingalls family when talking about the real Ingalls family?

It was once suggested to me there might be copyright issues with many of the photos of the real Ingalls family and their friends, but there are still plenty of  photos of LIW and family available via the Creative Commons, Fair Use, or the Public Domain.

There are better options than Michael Landon and the Melissas. 

Once again. This is the real Ingalls family:

Now that you know, can we please stop trotting out photos of the fake TV series when discussing the real Laura Ingalls Wilder, her family, and her books?

Thank you, kindly.


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Spotted: Rare First Edition Laura Ingalls Wilder Books on Ebay

I'm always on the hunt for Laura Ingalls Wilder books and memorabilia - mostly books and photos of places she lived throughout her time. I also enjoy learning about the people Mrs. Wilder met throughout her life and travels. Sometimes I like to find older copies of Mrs. Wilder's books to give to friends, especially young people like my nieces.

I look for books that are in good condition, but that are old enough to have character so that the recipients will treasure them for years to come and pass them down to their favorite young people.

I was on Ebay yesterday seeing if there were any interesting bargains and I came across several First Edition copies of the "Little House" books. In fact, there were so many I did a search and went down a bit of a rabbit hole.

Mind you, most of the books are too rich for my poor blood, but I find this to be a discussion-worthy topic so I'm sharing some finds and commentary with you here.

You can see the complete results of my search for "Laura Ingalls Wilder First Editions" at that link. There are many more books than I have listed here as examples.

Rare First Editions of "Little House Books" on Ebay

First Edition of "Little Town on the Prairie" 1941

I used to giggle whenever I saw this book cover because I wondered why on Earth anyone would draw a cover of Laura Ingalls Wilder with such a big butt. (I was younger then, please don't judge.) Actually I still giggle as I remember it. But anyway, this copy of "Little Town on the Prairie has a "Buy it Now" price of $2,500.00! Do you think Mrs. Wilder had any idea in her wildest dreams that a first edition copy of her book would be put up for auction at this price? The seller is from a rare bookstore, but I'm keeping an eye on this one if only to see if it actually fetches that price.

First Edition of "On the Banks of Plum Creek" 1937

This copy is a little more affordable for Laura Ingalls Wilder collectors, but one has to wonder why a First Edition of "On the Banks of Plum Creek" has a "buy it now price" as cheap as a current printing. A further look shows the seller mentioning years of wear and tear as well as two pages missing. I would probably pass on this copy as I wouldn't want to gift (or read) a book with pages missing and I'm not sure how well it would appreciate over the years. But as far as covers go, I love this cover of Mary and Laura wading in the creek. I was a city girl and so envied the country lifestyle. "Plum Creek" made me want to be a country girl.

First Edition, First Print: "Little Town on the Prairie" 1941

"Little Town on the Prairie" is my favorite of the "Little House Books" partly because I am a fan of "Laura Ingalls Wilder" the teen years and partly because it's about the birth of a town. I mean, when you think about it, the Ingalls family were the first settlers to DeSmet. That's some serious history and legacy right there.  While I enjoyed every single book in the series, it's the books after Laura came to DeSmet and met Almanzo that I love the most. I'm just a romantic that way.

This particular copy has a "Buy it Now" price of $700, again from a rare bookseller. I suppose if anyone knows what these books are worth, it's someone who buys and sells rare books.

The whole shebang: A rare first edition set of the Little House Series - 8 Books

This isn't what true Laura Ingalls Wilder aficionados would consider a complete set because "The First Four Years" isn't included. When you consider the last book in the series wasn't published until long after this set of the Little House Series was published, it's definitely complete for that time. I have never seen a full set of LIW First Editions before so I just took some time to look at the photo and appreciate them as a set. Please don't judge. I'm just a geek that way.

What I find interesting is that entire this series is at a "Buy it Now" price of $1905.95, but the First Edition of "Little Town on the Prairie" mentioned at the top of this page is selling for  a lot more. All books in this series are listed as being in "fine" condition. They were obviously owned by someone who showed them much love.

First Edition of "The Long Winter" 1940

Now the cover on this First Edition of "The Long Winter" shows what it's all about: The Ingalls family huddled around the stove. They all look pretty happy here, and if I remember correctly Pa wasn't much into fiddling what with all the hay twisting and wheat grinding (and let's not forget those houseguests from hell - oh wait, they weren't in this book), but still, it's a nice happy cover of a book that showed us all what it could be like to endure a harsh winter as a pioneer in a newly established town (check out those red cheeks!). This copy can be yours for the "Buy it Now" price of $500!

I really need to check out some past auctions to see how well First Editions of the "Little House Books" have done in the past. I'm not planning on starting a new business, but I'm curious from a LIW fan point of view. And if anyone actually reads this blog and is a collector, do let us know if these are reasonable prices for First Editions.

First Edition: "The Long Winter" - Leatherbound - 1940

Though this is a pretty copy of "The Long Winter" I prefer illustrated covers so I can picture the family better. In any event, this copy of "The Long Winter" is selling at a "Buy it Now" price of $335.00 - A steal compared to some of the other books listed here. It might be because some of the page numbers are circled in ink, however, the book is said to be in good condition.

Do I sound like I know what I'm talking about? I don't.  I'm simply fascinated that there are so many First Editions up for grabs and that they might be selling for these prices. One would think they go up in value, right? I need to really research these more. My LIW research is into the woman herself - as well as her family and friends. Now I'm very curious about the books and the market for her first edition copies. Thanks for another obsession, Mrs. Wilder! My family thanks you too.

First Edition of "On the Banks of Plum Creek" 1937

This copy of "On the Banks of Plum Creek" is a little battered and shows in the price - $99.00 for a "Buy it Now." I've seen books that are in this condition for sale at the library for $1.00. I need to investigate those a little more. Clearly I need to stop thinking about this (but you know I won't). My family isn't very understanding when it comes to books taking over our little home. I don't know that I would invest in a copy that is this worn, but it's more affordable than many of the others shown here too.

First Edition "By the Shores of Silver Lake" 1939

Another of my favorites, By the Shores of Silver Lake" showed us a Laura who was conflicted between becoming a young lady and remaining a kid. She rode horses bareback with her cousin Lena, watched men work on the railroad, became the eyes of the world for her sister Mary, and witnessed the birth of a brand new town. When I give a writing workshop, I read Laura's description of the surveyor's house as an example of "showing and not telling."

The cover is worn on this edition of "By the Shores of Silver Lake" but it shows the Ingalls family waiting for the train. Think about it - trains were very new at this time. Can you imagine riding it after experiencing nothing but horses and wagons? How brave and how exciting! I've experience progress, but I don't know that I will ever feel as excited about MTV and the Internet as I did about Laura and family riding the train for the first time.

Anyway, this book is listed for a Buy it Now price of $700. I wouldn't buy it but just looking at the cover and reliving Laura's first time on a train and I'm seriously tempted.

First Edition: Little House in the Big Woods" 1932

Here it is: The Book That Started It All. I remember taking "Little House in the Big Woods" out of the library to read for the first time. It opened up  a whole new world for me. I don't think I understand at the time that Laura Ingalls Wilder was a real person, but reading about the day to day life of a person who was older than my Grandma? It was fascinating and an obsessions was born.

This copy of "Little House in the Big Woods" has definitely seen better days but it's not in bad condition when you consider its age and how often it might have been read over the years. The Buy it Now Price is $600, though I noticed this book and some others have payment plans available for the collector on a budget.

Again, here are the results of my search for Laura Ingalls Wilder First Editions. As you can see there are a lot more books listed there than I have listed here. Let me know if you found anything interesting, or if you have insight into what Laura Ingalls Wilder First Editions are going for.

Thanks for indulging me in a new fascination!

Affiliate links were used in this post. Affiliate sales help to pay for any time and costs put into research for this blog. Thanks for understanding that though this is a labor of love, earning money helps me justify the time put into sharing my passion with you.

10 Interesting Items Revealed in Grace Ingalls Dow's Journal

Grace Ingalls Dow kept a small journal that coverd several years

Laura Ingalls Wilder isn't the only Ingalls family member to write down the family history. Grace Ingalls Dow, Laura's youngest sister, kept a journal.

Granted, the journal is not a work of great literature and there are so many grammatical and spelling errors it hurts one's eyes, but there's history here, people.

If you're like me and look for different information about the Ingalls family, information that goes beyond the books you overlook things like misspellings to dive into the deeper picture. Grace's journal is a goldmine.

What follows are some of the highlights of Grace Ingalls Dow's journal.

An interesting fact about the journal - it was found among Carrie Ingalls Swanzey's step daughter's possessions after she had passed away.

1. In February 1887, Charles Ingalls was Deputy Sheriff in DeSmet, SD

Excerpt:

Feb. 9th Wednesday
To day is very warm day, only the wind blow quite hard from the South, it is thawing. I haven’t been to school for a week and Carrie has, she stayed up to Mrs Masters, and went to school and in the eavning took care of the boys while Mis. Masters went to an entertainment, Carrie went to it on Saturday for 10 hrs, Yesterday Mr and Mr Boast and came over with Mrs Collins and her boy Mr George Collins and Mr Frank Peck, we had lot’s of fun and after dinner Mr Collins played the voilen and on  his mouth organ, aftr he had got threw playing  Carrie and I played the organ they went home in the evening. Pa is deputy sheriff now he went up town this morning for Mr. Feildby’s horses and critter. Mr. Feildby went away from town for something.

2. In May 1890, The Ingalls Family rented out their acreage:

Excerpt:

May 18, 1890
To day is sunday t has eather been raining or blowing all day. We got all ready to go up to Laura’s but it looked so like a storm we did not. They are going to Minn. Tuesday after next, going with a covered wagon and drive the stock they and Peter two  sol their flock of two hundred and twenty sheep to the butchers for five hundred dollars. They are all going in a covered wagon Peter, Manly, Laura and Rose they will have have it nice two  a bed set up all the time in the wagon Laura will have her  pretty poney to ride on part of the time. This is a cold spring even now the last of may it is so cold we can not take the stove of  the front room. The plum trees are all in bloom they can be smelled half a mile away. I don’t suppose we will get many plums the other folks  from town will though. We have rented twenty acres of the farm to Floyd at  dollar acre, and six to Smith, a man that lives east of our place, at the same price. Such dredful sand storm as we have here they come up just as a rain storm and it blows, and blows, all the time. Though it has rained some this spring.

3.  Grace hung out with boys and came home from a picnic after 9:00.

Not a scandal by any means, but it surprised me that the girls would stay out all day into the last evening. I don't know why I'm surprised. Maybe it was ok because there were other families around? Caroline Ingalls didn't seem to be the type of woman who liked her children galavanting at night (even summer nights).

August 17, 1890
I went to church this morning and hear the rev. Traut preach I do not like him very well. Laura went a long while ago they are not at Spring Valley. Carrie and myself went to a picnic at Lake Henry we had the three seated rig we wen to pick grapes. Drakes folks and Franks were the rest off the company we had. Joe Grey was the only boy he was just full of fun we sang all the way home and didn’t get back till half past nine I had the best time I ever had before we had piles of fun.

4. The Ingalls family never had a successful crop.

Which would explain why Charles took on other work as Deputy Sheriff, Justice of the Peace, and carpenter.

Excerpt:

DeSmet, June 23, 1891 Monday
It has been ten months since I wrote in this and  nothing of consequence has happened everything goes on just the same. The crops have failed ear after year in this place and are likely to this year. Carry still works down in the Leader office. We are to have a new teacher in  the spring Prof. Shannon. I guess Mr Owen will leave here. A lot  of us scholars went out to his house on the last day of school and had surprise party on him. We gave him a gold pen. Sam Dwight presented it we had some fun. I was fourteen years old the 23rd of May.

5. Mary had surgery in 1893 and Grace was ailing that year as well:

Apparently Mary was suffering from Neuralgia - facial pain caused by damaged nerves - no doubt caused by her earlier strokes.

Sept 3d 1893
Am now sixteen years old. We still live in DeSmet and Carrie works on the same paper in DeSmet. Laura and Manly went to Florida came back and now lives in DSmet. Peter went to Fla. a married a girl down in that country. The Prof. is a man by the name of Farell he is irish our old Prof. Shannon went to Chicago and got married. I have not been  well for almost a year have had Dr’s Rice and Ensign Mary went to Chicago  last summer had an operation for the neuralgia. Aunt Lillie and her two children, Aunt Eliza and Aunt Martha visited with us last summer. 

6. In 1887, Pa was sick for "a long while"

I will have to do a little more looking around to see if I can find out the cause and length of his illness.

Excerpt:

March 26, 1887, Saturday
To day is uite cold but all the snow has gone off. Laura has not been here for two weeks nor we their. Pa has been sick for a long while we had the doctor and he has just got well. Yesterday was speaking day we all went up to Mr. Owen’s room, when Annie Wright spoke she looked real pretty she was Pussy Willow and was fixed up to look like  it. Leana sturgeon spoke a place about mossle, she spoke slow at first, but at the end of it she pumped up and threw her arms up with a squeake, a little boy who sat on the front seat jumped out in front he was so scared, one of Mr. Owen’s boy’s spoke an old women that lied in the shoe. There was dialogue where  there a black women was Neva Whaley the piece was sailed the Irish love letter there was a good many other funny pieces.

7. Laura and Almanzo's son looked just like Almanzo:

The saddest entry of all.

Excerpt:

Tuesday August 27 1889
A great many things have happened since I last wrote in this book. Laura's little baby boy only a month old died a little while ago, he looked just like Manly. Rose will be three years old next december she is large for her age with golden hair and large blue eyes. Last friday Manly's house caught fire and burned to the ground. The furniture in the front room and in the bedroom and pantry was saved but nothing in the kitchen where the fire started.

8. Carrie earned one dollar each week as a typesetter

Excerpt:

Sunday, November 17, 1889
Well; Carrie is down in the Leader office learning to set tipe she gets a dollar a week now but after a while she will get more. 

9. Italians, and Beggars and Bears, Oh my!

Italians?

Poor bear.

Excerpt:

April 21, 1890
Summer is comming soon spring is her already, and Italians and beggars are her too a little while ago one of them came along with cinnamon bear a great ugly brute for ten cents he would preform , Mrs Brunell paid half and Pa paid the other. He danced turned springs and everything else. The man sang while the bear danced. 

10. There was a tragic prairie fire in DeSmet in April, 1889

Excerpt:

We are having an april shower today the first one of the season. It has been nearly a year since I wrote in this book and still am in Miss Dawley's room. There was a great wind storm last week, the dust was so thick the houses on the other side of the street could hardly be seen. The prairie got on fire and a great many people were burned out and some burned to death. I like Miss Dawley better than any of my other teachers.

Grace's diary isn't long but you can find it in it's entirety in William Anderson's Story of the Ingalls (Laura Ingalls Wilder Family Series).

Grace Ingalls Dow's Obituary: