The Laura’s Legacy Award recognizes individuals who have made an outstanding contribution toward the preservation of Laura’s legacy. The award is presented at each LauraPalooza conference to someone nominated by membership of the LIWLRA and past winners and voted on by the Board of Directors.
Past winners:
2010: Bill Anderson
Our first Laura’s Legacy Award was presented to Bill Anderson, whose contribution to preserving Laura’s legacy over the past five decades is too great to enumerate. He is a researcher, author, and biographer who has served many years on the boards at the Laura Ingalls Wilder museums located in Mansfield, Missouri, and De Smet, South Dakota, edited and produced the Laura Ingalls Wilder Lore newsletter, served as a tour guide in De Smet, “The Little Town on the Prairie,” and shared his wealth of knowledge with countless other Laura Ingalls Wilder researchers and writers.
2012: Barbara Walker and Shirley Knakmuhs
Shirley Knakmuhs
Barbara Walker
In 2012 we presented two awards. First we presented the award to Barbara Walker, author of the Little House Cookbook, whose extensive research and experimentation in the kitchen has enabled Laura’s admirers to experience Laura’s books through taste.
Our second award in 2012 was presented to Shirley Knakmuhs, early board member at the museum in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, and producer of the first outdoor pageant in this location. She was director of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove from 1974-1990 and well known as “Mrs. Oleson” in the Walnut Grove pageant for many years.
2015: John Miller
Nominate for Laura’s Legacy Award
Members of the association and past recipients are welcome to nominate a candidate for the 2017 Laura’s Legacy Award.
Requirements for award recipient:
- made a major contribution toward preserving the legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder in some way (please describe in your nomination)
- still living
- able to be contacted and preferably able to attend LauraPalooza to receive the award in person. (Travel expenses are reimbursed for award recipients.)