In Little House on the Prairie, Mrs. Scott tells Ma that she “can’t get those Minnesota massacres” out of her head. Ma makes a sharp sound, saying, “Little pitchers have big ears.” That tells Laura that whatever a massacre was, it was something that little girls shouldn’t know about.

The obvious issue, however, is that those “massacres” had everything to do with why Laura and her family were in Kansas, and later, able to homestead in Minnesota.

In 1862, Congress passed the Homestead Act, opening many territories formerly held by American Indians for settlement. In Minnesota, the Lakota and Dakota Indians–commonly, and derogatively, collectively called the Sioux– had earlier signed a treaty that ceded some of their lands to the U.S. government in exchange for money, food, and reservation lands. It’s important to note that while the Lakota and Dakota were and are related, they are not the same tribes.

In lieu of the gold promised for their lands, by 1862, many received luxury trade goods such as top hats, unsuitable for life on prairie and wood reservations. Many were angry, but particularly the Dakota. New white settlement had driven off much of the game that the Dakota relied on for protein, and a Dakota crop failure in 1861 had led to much hunger among the people. Their children, in particular, were suffering from vitamin deficiencies and malnutrition.

Their ways also were changing. New Indian agents in Minnesota were forcing many Dakota to exchange their established patterns of crop-raising and hunting for Euro-American ways, and the agents offered special privileges to those who made those changes. This made many of those who refused to change their ways angry; in many ways the Dakota war was a civil war among Dakota into which their white neighbors were drawn.

The young men formed soldier’s lodges at Shakopee, and began, in the summer of 1862, to agitate for war against the whites. Many Dakota disagreed with the move, especially those Christian Dakota from the northern tribes. Chief Little Crow, in talks with these young men, counseled patience, but in the end, he was persuaded to act as the chief of war. In Council, the Dakota present at Shakopee officially declared war. Some say Little Crow knew the war could not be won.

The Dakota were not a military organization. They did not have a structure such as the U.S. military, and individual warriors could choose to fight nor not; could choose to follow orders or not; could and did act on their own. When the annuity payment in August of 1862 failed to show up on time, Dakota warriors acted across south central Minnesota, routing the Little Sioux Agency and burning and pillaging their way through the homesteads of white settlers.

Witnesses to the destruction and brutality wrote of bodies hacked to pieces lying within steps of their homes; of dinner tables freshly laden with food that looked untouched, as settlers were startled from their meal times. White prisoners, mostly women and children, were taken, and later letters wrote of children being tortured, and women being raped by many Dakota in one evening.

When word reached Fort Ridgely that the Dakota had risen up against the white settlers, it was ill-prepared for any kind of assault. The fort’s young captain, who had the mumps, gathered up a detail to reinforce the Little Sioux Agency, despite being warned that he was riding into a trap.

He and his men were ambushed at Red Ferry. Most were killed.

The remaining soldiers at the fort began preparations for defense by creating barricades and breastworks. The fort had served as an artillery school, and it had cannon, but no walls. It was bare to the prairie around it.

Refugees from the country began pouring into the fort. Defenders expected that the Fort would be the next spot attacked, but fearing defeat, Little Crow went around the fort to attack the small German village of New Ulm.

New Ulm’s citizens, German farmers, had very few weapons, but they did have Jacob Nix Plat, a former soldier who urged all citizens behind hastily constructed barricades in a three-block area downtown. (Three buildings from this time survive.) Many were killed, and as the Dakota left the area, citizens of New Ulm buried their dead in the street and fled to Mankato.

In the end, more than 300 Dakota men, women and children were captured and marched to Fort Snelling, held responsible for the slaying of the white settlers. President Abraham Lincoln commuted the death sentences of all but 38 of the warriors being held. They were executed in the town square of Mankato on December 24, 1862. The remaining Dakota were driven out of Minnesota.

These events happened just five years before Laura was born, and certainly, the memory of the conflicts colored Caroline’s interactions with American Indians. These events also color relationships between whites and American Indians in Minnesota today, with conflict over reconciliation and memory in the commemoration of the tragedies of 1862.

Learn more about this and other related history this summer, at LauraPalooza 2012. Take a tour of the area by car with a map from the Greater Mankato Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, which conveniently points the way to major battle sites and interpretation. It’s well worth the effort.

I’m really grateful that Sandra and Connie agreed to help coordinate audience participation for Pa’s Fiddle by members of our Little House community.

For those who are able to be there it’ll be a great chance to be part of the show…we’ll make sure we see your smiling, happy faces as you listen to some of the best music Pa played on his fiddle during his family’s timeless adventure on the prairie. Our house band will be five to six players led by musical director Randy Scruggs…together they will be supporting some special guests from the worlds of country and bluegrass music.

Laura mentions 127 different songs in her books…we’ll hear 10 to 15 of them at the Loveless Barn. The performances will be edited into a 1-hour Pledge Special for PBS that will premiere nationally in June of 2012.

We only have about 100 seats available…they’ll all be good…you’ll be part of the show. I know i’ts short notice, but you’ll have fun. We’ll need to know who’s coming by Friday, Dec 16. Details on the show time will be made available at that time…you should expect the performance to be shot over a four- to six-hour period during the afternoon and evening of January 6, 2012. I’ll hope to see you there.

Edited to add:

People have been asking about children attending the performance. We’re glad you reminded us, as we would love younger fans to be in the audience! Any child 8 years and older is welcome to come, but please keep in mind that this will be a long afternoon/evening and we will need everyone who chooses to attend the event to stay from beginning to end in the interest of continuity.

Dean

We want YOU to be there.

The event is part of a PBS pledge special and will be recorded for future use on television.

According to Dean, “Pa’s Fiddle will feature some of the best known tunes called out in Laura’s Little House books played by some of the finest players in Nashville. Historic details related to Laura will be provided by our friend Dale Cockrell, as only he can do it.”

The event is free, with reserved seating. “We’d like to have up to 100 of our Little House friends on hand to listen to and enjoy the music,” says Dean. “This is a unique opportunity for those who love Laura to be present for and participate in a uniquely authentic celebration of the music that inspired the books.”

We realize this is short notice, but if you are sure you can make it, please email Connie Neumann at macneumann@aol.com to reserve your seating. Please put “Reservation” in your subject line.  The numbers are very limited at the Loveless Barn and Connie will need to know for sure that you are coming no later than Tuesday, Dec. 20th. In your email, please send your full name, how many in your party (no children under 8 – sorry), your telephone number and state of residence.

UPDATE: Watch it here!

Of course, you all do. And that’s what makes this conference special. We all have an opportunity to interact with others who share that very same obsession in different kinds of ways.

Next summer, we’ll meet again, July 12-14, 2012, in Mankato, Minn., on the campus of Minnesota State University, Mankato. We’re keeping on the schedule some of our favorite things–the ice cream social, the author’s reception, the spelling bee–and adding some things that you requested, such as breaks and break-out sessions for discussion. We’ve also been discussing a variation on our theme for next summer: What would Laura do?

That means we’re going to try to put in a few more sessions that are hands-on workshops devoted to playing Laura. I’m working with other departments at MSU to see if we can use the kitchens in the Family and Consumer Science area, the recreation center, and other spaces to give us all a chance to play Laura.

We’re also looking forward to a fresh batch of speakers, researchers, and workshop presenters. Our call for papers will go out in August, and we’re looking for researchers who want to present their work about Laura’s life and legacy or an aspect of it, as well as panel proposals from folks who have ideas for discussions, and workshop proposals from educators or others who have something Laura-related they’d like to share. We’re hoping for a variety as fun as we had last summer, but our programming depends on what you want to share with us!

Finally, we’ve heard from you that the Walnut Grove field trip is a MUST. I will never forget watching all the women on my bus running forward to Plum Creek, squealing as we raced to take off our shoes and put our toes in the water. It’s these kinds of experiences that we can’t replace, and we’re not going to try. But we will book a bus to help our dorm-dwellers get back from Walnut Grove to Mankato without falling asleep on the long, dusty road of Hwy. 14.

So, ask yourself, as you think about how you might contribute to next summer’s gathering: What would Laura do?

Laurapalooza Day 5 Part 1

Laura Ingalls Wilder Documentary, Wendy Corsi Staub, Barbara Mays Boustead, John Fry, Ann Dahl, Gayle Keresey, and Loving Laura panel.

Laurapalooza Day 5 Part 2

Judy Green, Tin Pail Luncheon/Spelling Bee, and Farewell Mankato.

Laurapalooza Trip – Sleepy Eye, Minnesota

Well known to TV fans. Sleepy Eye is right on Highway 14 – The Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Highway between Mankato and Walnut Grove. The video should also prove of interest to people who collect Sleepy Eye pottery and Peanuts fans. I took a quick look around Sleepy Eye on my way to Walnut Grove.

Laurapalooza Trip – Walnut Grove, Minnesota Part 1

Laurapalooza Trip – Walnut Grove, Minnesota Part 2

What was going on in Walnut Grove after we got their complete with guided tour.

Sarah S. Uthoff blogs at TrundleBed Tales; look for her on Twitter and YouTube and Blog Talk Radio
Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association, Vice-President and Membership Chair

Day Three of Laurapalooza Part 1

Part 1 of the first full day of the conference includes, in order, a look at registration; words from Amy Lauters and Sandra Hume;  samplings of presentations by Kelly Ferguson and Ann Weller Dahl;  museum staff greetings from Burr Oak (Steve Luse), Walnut Grove (Nicole Higgins Elzenga) and Pepin (Suzanne Ebersold); more presentation sampling by Michelle McCellan; LauraPalooza designer Kristina Sukalski; and a bit on Dale Cockerell’s presentation.

Day Three of Laurapalooza Part 2

Part 2 of today’s video features author/illustrator Cheryl Harness; snippets from presentations/speeches by John E. Miller, Jenna Hunnef, and Jim Hicks; the Harvey Dunn Plein Aire Event; and the Manchester Tornado.

Day Three of Laurapalooza Part 3

Pepin contingent with Kitty Latane, Barbara Mays Boustead, Lynn Urban, Homesite Panel, Author Panel, and Dale Cockerell.

Day Three of Laurapalooza Part 4

Connie Neumann at Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association Booth, Sue Duggan, Author Reception with Nancy Cleaveland and Penny Linsenmayer.

Sarah S. Uthoff blogs at TrundleBed Tales; look for her on Twitter and YouTube and Blog Talk Radio
Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association, Vice-President and Membership Chair

Beyond Little House was set up with the idea of promoting the conference, but we weren’t sure what to put up during the actual conference. I had already decided to give my Flip camera a workout by filming highlights and they proved very popular as way to share the conference with people who couldn’t be there and for people attending the conference to help organize their thoughts about the day. This week we are going to reshare those videos with you. Unfortunately there are some issues with sound, for which we apologize, but efforts to improve it with the equipment then at hand were not successful. I hope you will enjoy them anyway. You’ll probably want to adjust the volume on your computer all the way up for some sections.

Also as part of the buildup to the conference I posted a series called And One More on the Way which were places which mostly didn’t have a direct connection to Laura, but were tourist spots that you might want to add on your trip. I heard from several people who did exactly that. I hope to repeat that next year as part of the build up of the conference and while I have some already on my list I would welcome your ideas on what I might want to include.

The link to the post will include a link to the video on YouTube, a short summary of what is included on that day’s video and links to websites of things, people or places mentioned in the video. The first video covers my trip to Mankato with stops at two Laura homesite towns on the way.

Laurapalooza Trip Day 1

This first day of traveling to LauraPalooza includes Decorah and Burr Oak, Iowa; Spring Valley, Minnesota; and former longtime Burr Oak director Ferneva Brimacomb.

Sarah S. Uthoff blogs at TrundleBed Tales; look for her on Twitter and YouTube and Blog Talk Radio
Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association, Vice-President and Membership Chair

Ma's House on Ingalls Homestead

July tends to be a busy month for Laura fandom. Get caught up with the July Update on Trundlebed Tales Radio. Check back for a new update each month during Laura season.

Before heading out, also catch up on the radio shows from Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, and the 40th Anniversary of the De Smet Pageant.

Sarah S. Uthoff blogs at TrundleBed Tales; look for her on Twitter and YouTube and Blog Talk Radio
Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association, Vice-President and Membership Chair