June 9 De Smet South Dakota, part 2

Today I went into town to see the rest of the Ingalls sites in De Smet. In 1893, Pa built a house in town that was closer to the school Carrie and Grace attended. I don't have any documented proof for what I'm about to say, but I'm sure as Charles Ingalls got older, it wasn't as easy to farm so the move likely benefited him as well.

You enter the gift shop of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society (LIWMS) where you're greeted by a tour guide. I was the only one there, so she said she'd take me on the tour with just the two of us. I mentioned what a big fan I was of the Little House books and how being in De Smet was a real dream come true for me. The tour guide good-naturedly tried to stump me with various "little-known" facts. After several failed attempts, she was finally able to stump me with something about Almanzo which I can't even remember now. :D Ha! I got the last laugh lol.

LIWMS also offers the viewing of a replica of the Brewster school (from These Happy Golden Years) where Laura fulfilled her very first teaching assignment. The actual school was some 12 miles from De Smet, but the current location of the school serves it purpose.



My tour guide then toook me over to the Ingalls house on 3rd street. Taking interior pictures is not allowed, so if you want to see pics, google them. From one of the 2nd story bedroom windows, however, I was able to see something VERY historically important. I cannot remember the denomination of the church now, but Charles Ingalls helped to build the church in the picture below (ignore the cars and the paddling pool.)