If there’s anything I love as much as the Little House books, it’s the Little House homesites. That should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed this blog or perused the Frontier Girl site. It’s no secret that everything I do in the online Little House world has one ultimate aim: to point people to the homesites.
Why am I so passionate about the sites? There are so many reasons. They add another dimension to the Little House experience, enabling Laura’s readers to visualize even more clearly the settings of the stories. They stir up strong emotions in their visitors, bringing great joy and awe; they fulfill lifelong dreams. They preserve historical items and they educate about the way of life of those who came before us. They perpetuate interest in the Little House books. They enable and assist with continued research into the lives of the friends and family of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The homesites therefore hold a very valuable place in the world of Little House, and not to have them would be an astounding loss.
You can imagine, then, my consternation over a question I was asked on a recent visit to a Little House site.
“Do you think the interest in Laura is declining?” the tour guide asked.
I was surprised by the question. Such a thought had never occurred to me. In fact, I had thought quite the opposite — between the state of the economy causing people to think about making lifestyle changes, to save more money, to live more simply, to grow their own food, etc., and the cultural emphasis these days on “going green,” I actually thought more people were turning back to books such as the Little House series. Interest must surely be growing — isn’t it?
“Our numbers are down this year and last, dramatically,” was the explanation given behind the question. “Folks just aren’t coming the way they used to.”
I really don’t think the reason is declining interest in Laura, though perhaps I’m wrong about that. I think people simply aren’t traveling as much because of the economy. People also aren’t giving as much. I know nonprofit organizations nationwide are hurting, and far too many are closing their doors as a result.
The thought is frightening. Without our support, the Little House homesites could be in similar jeopardy, the “smaller sites” in particular. (It was one of those smaller sites where this conversation took place, and similar concerns were expressed at a second small site. I think of Malone, Pepin, Independence, Burr Oak, and Spring Valley as the smaller sites.)
Can we risk letting Laura become a victim of the economy?
What can we do to prevent losing one or more of these wonderful Wilder museums? Visit them. And when you visit, see as many as you can — don’t fall into the mindset of, “I’ll just go to Mansfield, or I’ll just go to De Smet, they have the most to see and do.” Every site is a unique experience, every site has much to offer. Don’t skip the smaller sites!
While you’re visiting the sites, purchase from their gift shops and go on the tours! I am dumbfounded at the number of times I have been at the museums — even at Mansfield and De Smet — and seen people come in, ask the price of the tour, and walk out without taking it.
What if you just can’t make it to the sites in person? There’s still plenty you can do. Buy your Little House related books from the homesites’ online stores. Become a member of the various associations. Give donations — the sites are nonprofit agencies and your gifts are tax-deductible. Maybe you feel you don’t have much to give… but small donations by many people are the same as large donations by a few, so let’s join together and give what we can, even if it doesn’t seem like much.
I don’t know about you, but I want to enjoy visiting Little House sites for years to come, and want my children and grandchildren to have that same pleasure. It would be a travesty to let any of the Little House homesites, big or small, close their doors because of lack of support.
Contact information is available here for each of the homesites. Their websites will point you to their online bookstores, membership options, and ways to donate. Please save our sites!
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