Ingalls Homestead in De Smet SD, home of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of Little House on the Prairie

[@OverTheHills2019]

The Ingalls Homestead in De Smet SD was SOOO relaxing! Have y'all ever been to the Ingalls Homestead? If so, what did you think? Were there any other "must see" places in the area we missed? Let us know. Thanks so much for joining us on our journey! We would love to hear your comments, questions and suggestions below!

[@jefferyyoung2580]

I love the old tv series 😍

[@terrylee3232]

Can you imagine going back in time and living like they did back then

[@OverTheHills2019]

I know! I would love it, cuz we love history. But it sure wasn't an easy life!

[@rebeccaharp3254]

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful program. I can't imagine that anyone loves the Ingalls family more than I do.I've adopted them as my very own family. I love to read them to feel lifted up by their dedication to one another and the pure, clean, life experiences that were their daily fare, and rare to find now. I'm cheered by them, I'm warmed by them. At 68 I read them every year and the last four are my favorites. I always read The Long Winter in winter when it snows in NW Montana where I live. This year we got heavy now and 30 below the week leading up to Christmas which was so nicely fitting. Thank you for sharing, I will watch it several times I am sure. Sincerely Rebecca (tTt)

[@OverTheHills2019]

So glad you enjoyed the video! Yes, the Little House books and movies are wonderful!

[@fieldsfishgame5601]

Just randomly came across your video about De Smet and the Ingalls Homestead. Thanks very much for covering our city like this for everyone to get a chance to learn more about our awesome little town! My wife and I just moved here to De Smet from Maryland a little over two years ago, about two years after first visiting here on a Little House on the Prairie road trip to all the towns around the Midwest where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived. We absolutely loved this town on our visit and when we decided to move, we could have gone anywhere, but this state and particularly this town just popped up as the place where God wanted us to be. We now have a hunting and fishing store here, and are very involved in the city and the school, and our four girls are thriving in ways that they definitely could not have where we lived before.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thats awesome that y'all were able to move there! We could definitely live in that little town! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@carriescorner]

Laura was the teacher of a student who went on to teach in the school house located on the homestead. That is a very real connection to the Ingalls family. So cool!

[@OverTheHills2019]

Oh wow! That's awesome! Thanks so much for sharing that information!

[@martindriver6026]

That place is so awesome. We stayed four nights there. Took a night tour of the places open all night they only ask that you close the doors when you leave. I wanted to take a sleeping bag and sleep in the sod house but got chicken. One night I stood on the lookout tour and watched a storm come in awesome site. There also more in the town to go and see. If you read the books it all makes sense. In July they give the kitties away. Nice to have a true Ingalls farm cat. You can also find the dainty wild roses on the ground who Laura's and Almanzo first child was named after. Rose wilder. Nice job at presenting the video. Makes me want to go back.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Yes, it is an awesome place! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@marybeth9320]

I had received the little house books as a Christmas gift when I was around 9 or 10 , I absolutely loved them. I would race home from school to watch the show , very nice video. Thank you from upstate , upstate NY

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@michelle5595]

Loved your video and still watch littlehouse reruns.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thank you! Yes, loved the show and wish I could watch reruns!

[@krashkasaudy8470]

that was a great video, thank for sharing!

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@Soffity]

I went to USA in 2001 and 2 of the places I wanted to visit were De Smet and Mansfield, because I’m a huge fan of Laura. Got to visit Mansfield as I was based in Chicago but missed out on De Smet. So thanks for this. Cheers from rural Australia.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@faegrrrl]

Out of all of the Ingalls videos that I've watched, yours is the BEST!! I think I've watched them all. :) This had to take a lot of time to put together. Thank you SO much!! God bless you both and your travels.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Wow! Thanks so much for your wonderful compliment! Blessings to you!

[@Tenebarum]

I read the little house books when I was a kid in the ‘80’s. I was really surprised at the recent effort to sully the reputation of these people who died almost a century ago. I always wondered about what happened after Laura got married and left. The house Charles built in town is surprisingly large for three people. Grace and Carrie would be leaving soon leaving the parents and Mary. But it’s obvious Charles added the extra rooms to provide income. This house proves that they attained a level of comfort and didn’t live in horrible poverty their entire lives as the modern narrative wants to claim.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Yes, it was very interesting to see how they spent the last of their days. Thanks so much for watching! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@leonieannie5476]

Fascinating! Thank you for sharing

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thank you for watching! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@horselady4375]

Wow glad I found this.have fun I cant wait for more.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thank you very much! So glad you are enjoying the videos!

[@robbinbruno2320]

That was wonderful. Would love to go there someday. I’m a Little House fan. Thank you so much for your tour. Made my day.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the video! We hope you get the opportunity to check it out personally!

[@laurap9087]

great travel video, really liked how you took time to give viewers an orientation of the property.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thank you very much! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@1927su]

Thanks for making this video , when I visited there, my time was limited , so I didn’t get to see all of the homestead. The original cottonwood trees were fascinating. I’m assuming the original house was near that old marker at the top of the little dirt path. And Thanks for sharing the sunrises & sunsets; Laura mentions this often in her books pertaining to that area. They are really beautiful! . The surveyors house was so special of a feeling , knowing I was standing in the actual house, where the family stayed & also took in travelers as mentioned in the Shores of Silver Lake. It’s really neat to stand in the school where Laura & Carrie attended. Thanks again for posting your video!😊

[@OverTheHills2019]

So glad you enjoyed the video! And happy to hear that you enjoyed your own visit to De Smet! It is a pretty awesome place! Thanks so much for watching!

[@denisecaringer4726]

Thank you for the video. It's such a shame that so much was built on the site, but I suppose that is just me. It's a lovely place to visit. But it was better years ago. I had loved the books since grade school, and, luckily, a year or two before the TV series, my family took a trip to South Dakota so I could finally visit DeSmet. NOTHING was built on the homestead then. Ahhhhhhhhh. As I recall, a square of large cottonwoods sort of marked out where the shanty had been. It was quite. The prairie breezes blew through the grasses, and all of Laura's stories came to life in my mind. You could see the town not far to the north/northwest. It was heavenly to be there. Total quiet. We visited the graves at the local cemetery and the house in DeSmet where Ma and Pa spent their later years. I recall the original kitchen with all the built-in drawers and cubbies -- built by Pa, I was told. We went to the surveyors house where the family spent its first winter -- quite alone -- on the prairie. Such a treat.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thanks so much for your comment! It's wonderful that you were able to visit the homestead before it became what it is today, and that you can share all that information. Very interesting! Thank you!

[@conniephillips8217]

I absolutely love this video! You really did a great job with the information, filming and explaining everything that you saw. I was very impressed, great job. Thank you very much for your hard work and I look forward to more of your videos!

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thank you very much for the wonderful compliment! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@brendasuearculeta4011]

This was an amazing video; I loved Little House on the Prairie & my mom grew up in Kansas. Thank you so much.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@sheilakieso1700]

Thanks for the video. Been wanting to see this place for a long time.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Ingalls Homestead and DeSmet were a wonderful place! So peaceful and relaxing! Hope you get to see it in person some day. So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@srwilsonkibrilho281]

I wish I could visit this place . I love Laura's books.

[@OverTheHills2019]

So glad you enjoyed the video! We hope you get a chance to visit someday! Thanks so much for watching!

[@annemariemoormann996]

Thank you 😊

[@OverTheHills2019]

You're very welcome! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@backyardinbloom575]

Thank you, what a lovely presentation. It was my chance to see the town I have been reading about all these years. I so appreciate your fine work. Susan Down

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thank you so much for your kind words! We are so glad you enjoyed the video! We thought the Ingalls Homestead and DeSmet SD were awesome!

[@sopia1737]

Thank you, what a lovely peaceful views and presentations. I have been reading little house in the big woods series these days every single night. Nowadays it started the frm boy. I love this story. I had been watching it throw the tv shows growing. I am looking forward to visiting there soon. I want to stay in the Ingalls homestead and Des Met SD.

[@Ozefan2580]

Thank you so much for posting this. I was there over 25 years ago and I see some changes. It's time for another visit!

[@OverTheHills2019]

The folks who own the property are doing the best they can to reconstruct and preserve the property as it was in the late 1800s. They are super nice folks. Yes, please visit again! Thanks so much for watching! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@haleyhamer7128]

I’ve never been, but I’ve always been a huge fan of the little house series (books and tv). This video just made me want to go even more!

[@OverTheHills2019]

It was a very special place, and highly recommended! We are so glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks so much for watching!

[@juliejackman2649]

Glad this came on! I've taken a trip across America too, in a loop to get in as many states as possible and have also visited several other states, so the only ones I haven't been to are Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Alaska, and Hawaii. But of course there's lots to see in every state so it will be fun to see all the places you go and some things I might've missed along the way. 😊💕 I haven't been to Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum before. Looks fun! I loved watching the series growing up. ☺

[@OverTheHills2019]

Wow! That's awesome you have been able to have that experience! Yes, there are a ton of places to see in each state. We have a list of places we need to go back to because we missed them the first time around. LOL. Thanks so much for joining us and watching!

[@ACEDIAMOND666]

Glad to see my family history being preserved with great care.

[@hazelmoonchild508]

If you don't mind me asking, how are you related? From which side? Just curious to know :)

[@D.E..]

So glad I found this video. Thanks for doing this. I've read all of Laura's books, several times, and just finished Rose Wilders books. Planning a trip there next yr.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Awesome! That's so wonderful that you will be able to see it for yourself! It is truly an amazing place! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@teresaj231]

Wonderful!

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@lindadickson783]

Thank you for your information. I hadn’t read all the books but from books I had read and the t.v. Show I was understanding that the Ingalls went to De Smit for a while but came back to Walnut Grove until their deaths. I will have to make a trip out to De admit sometimes.

[@OverTheHills2019]

The TV show did take some liberties. The family was actually in Walnut Grove for only a very short time. Highly recommend a visit to De Smet! Thanks so much for watching!

[@lindaoostvogels3008]

Wat heel erg mooi om te zien. Lieve WR! Ik ben zo moe nu. Ik wil nog wel wakker blijven voor jou. Maar ik ben erg moe. Lieve schat, waar kan ik jou zien lieve schat, ik wil jou zo graag zien. Ik mis jou zo erg. Ik hou ontzettend veel van jou. Superbedankt schat, dat je dit aan mij laat zien. Jij overtreft mijn stoutste dromen. Jij bent zo fantastisch. I love you forever xxx

[@OURLITTLEADVENTURES]

That's really cool.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Yes, it was an awesome place! Highly recommended! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@danielyoder3396]

We visited this place last September.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Wonderful! So glad you were able to visit! It's a wonderful place!

[@ACEDIAMOND666]

They needs to put my albums in the shop, as I am a member of the Ingalls family.

[@cherrymaniego209]

Well done video. Enjoyed it thanks fo sharing. Would love to go there. New sub 👍👏

[@OverTheHills2019]

So glad you enjoyed the video! The Ingalls Homestead was a very unique experience. We loved it there! Thanks so much for joining us on our journey! We are happy to have you along for the ride!

[@bunnylover68]

I’ve always wanted to visit the Ingalls homestead since reading the books when I was a kid. It was hard growing up with the tv series because my maiden name is Ingalls (my grandfather was a distant cousin of Charles Ingalls) because I was teased lots because of it.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Oh my goodness, you should be very proud to have such relations! That is awesome! We hope you can someday visit. it is an amazing place! Thanks so much for watching!

[@deiderewalz9954]

Liked yours much better than the last one i tried to watch. Thier's was hard to follow and the wind noise didn't help. Thank you

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@lindadickson783]

I did make it to Pipen Wi. To see that house.

[@OverTheHills2019]

That's awesome! We have also been to Pepin. Thanks for watching!

[@monicalee9659]

It's something else that Charles kept farming and trying and all the moving the family did trying to survive. I can't imagine farming 10 acres and the crop failure due to grasshoppers, etc.

[@OverTheHills2019]

I agree! It was a much different life back then. They didn't have the choices we take for granted now.

[@ludivinedelancrayleparidie8080]

Bonjour...Vivez vous dans la vraie maison de Laura Ingall's...Je vous prie de croire à l'expression de ma très haute considération...Ludivine

[@OverTheHills2019]

I don't believe it is the original house that Laura Ingalls used to live in. I think it is a reproduction. Thank you!

[@jaqik6739]

Thank you for sharing your video, love it. What is it like there in May? many birds around there at that time? Cheers from Perth Western Australia.

[@jacquelinedixon6438]

Is that the original house that pa built?

[@OverTheHills2019]

I believe it is a reproduction.

[@pammyla66]

The little House on the Prairie show was from 1974 to 1983

[@zezed8832]

😘😘🙏

[@OverTheHills2019]

Thanks for watching! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@marthacalkins8054]

12:59 - I guess they weren’t teaching possessive apostrophes yet? 😊

[@gregorydietzler7402]

Little house tv series was in the 1970’s and ended in the early 1980s

[@Maridun50]

I do not believe the original house, Pa built on his homestead still stands. 7.52 ff - this house must be a replica.

[@OverTheHills2019]

Yes, we don't believe that is the original house either. I do apologize if we made an inaccurate statement in the video. Thanks so much for watching!

[@susanwhitmore3352]

Yes, it's a replica. When Laura and Almanzo visited in 1938, she noted that it was gone, but that a nice white farmhouse stood in its place, but that appears to be gone now too.

[@deborahconley6165]

Actually Three daughters are buried at the DeSmet cemetery

[@OverTheHills2019]

Oh wow! The other one must be someplace else in the cemetery then. So sorry we missed seeing that! Thanks for your comment!

[@deborahconley6165]

The ones in DeSmet Cemetery are Pa, MA, Mary, Carrie, Grace... Laura Almanzo and Rose are where Laura and Almanzo settled....

[@playdohsrepublic3562]

Please tell me I'm not the only one who noticed the phallic symbol on Charles' headstone and the baphomet symbol on the masonic lodge. Anyone?

[@OverTheHills2019]

Mr. Ingalls' headstone has some kind of floral design on it. And the Mason Lodge has an Eastern Star logo in the upper right window. We are impressed you watched the video so closely.

[@donnasanchez2988]

Went to Dr smet Las summer

[@donnasanchez2988]

De Smet

[@OverTheHills2019]

It is such a cute little town, and with so much history! Thanks so much for watching!

[@chrissmith2849]

If there were 4 daughters why were only 3 presented in the show?

[@OverTheHills2019]

The TV Show was ALOT different than Laura's real life. They actually didn't live in Walnut Grove for a very long time. Hope you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching!

[@haleyhamer7128]

They took a lot of creative liberties with Laura’s story, but they did include the youngest daughter, Grace, starting in season 4 or 5.

[@lindadickson783]

In the show there were 4. Mary, Laura, Carrie, and Grace. When the show ended Grace was very small, she was not on screen much.

[@dalepoppenhagen8549]

You'd better check your facts about little house on the prairie because it started in 1974

[@OverTheHills2019]

I do apologize that I misspoke.

[@ginakirkland386]

The show started in the early 1970's - not the 1980's

[@daynawithawhy]

We were there a few years ago and had come thinking we'd spend the afternoon there, but ended up leaving after a few short moments in that gift shop. The clerk was beyond rude and anything but welcoming. Too bad

[@OverTheHills2019]

So sorry you had a bad experience. We didn't have that problem there. Hopefully you can try it again sometime. Thanks for watching!

[@srwilsonkibrilho281]

Marcia wrote the comment below.

[@davidnajor2222]

It both angers and saddens me to see how the tourism hawks so often swoops down and mindlessly destroys the original sites, such as here at De Smet. Thankfully when I was first there they hadn't yet ruined the place with things that historically had no business being there. And they even added a wooden over-hang to the front of Loftus store, where it once had an awning instead. Just a little disheartening in the way all these added falsities take away from the feeling of truly being there back in time.

[@OverTheHills2019]

It is very hard, and very costly, to maintain historical buildings just as they were. We greatly appreciate any effort that goes into it, and were very glad to see what they were able to preserve. Thanks so much for watching!

[@lianecornils8733]

Their laughing because they can't

[@kathybonds6453]

A Mason is Not cool....Research...

[@OverTheHills2019]

Yes, please do your research. We are proud to be members of the Masonic community.

[@kathybonds6453]

@@OverTheHills2019 Trust me i have....

[@OverTheHills2019]

Everytime someone tells me to do research i have to laugh. Your "research " no doubt consists of reading insane conspiracy theories on the internet. Go for real first hand knowledge. Join the order of the eastern star and immerse yourself in an organization dedicated to helping the community and praising our Lord. But no matter. A hater is gonna hate. It's a shame.

[@kathybonds6453]

@@OverTheHills2019 i lived next door to one and he gave me the lowdown. Hate to disappoint but no CT here. Good bye.