Laura Ingalls Wilder’s House, a Missouri Stonehenge and a walk in the woods were the stops on the way back from Branson to St. Louis.
Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum
The farm is where Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote her Little House on the Prairie books is located just outside of Mansfield, Mo. on Highway 60.
As the story goes, Laura, Almanzo, and Rose moved to Mansfield in 1894. They had saved $100 to buy land just outside of town. The two worked side-by-side for nearly twenty years in seeing the rocky land transform into a sprawling 200 acres of farmland, which included an apple orchard and space for Almanzo’s Morgan horses.
Visitors can tour the home and see her study and writing desk, as well as the many treasures that remain exactly how Laura left them.
The property includes the Rock House. Rose Wilder Lane, the Wilders’ only daughter was a successful author in her own right. Rose had a house built with modern conveniences as a gift to her parents on the property.
Our Time on the Prairie
We stopped at Subway in Mansfield and picked up sandwiches and chips for a picnic near the farmhouse. By the house was a chicken coop and a farm shed. You could imagine a bit of the farm life they once lived.
After having our meal we went to the museum and visitor’s center. We checked out the gift shop. Many Little House books were available, from children’s editions with lots of pictures to the original series. The shop had pioneer toys such as parts to make a covered wagon and stick-like wooden whistles.
The museum housed information on her life, the “Little House” book series Laura wrote, family artifacts and heirlooms.
Out front of the museum, you will see wildflowers and prairie grasses that attract butterflies. This helped to imagine life on the prairie.
The houses can be visited with admission and tours, but we didn’t have time to see them since we still had to get on back to St. Louis. Yet, I saw plenty from seeing the outside of both homes and reading the signs that can be found in front of each home telling the story of their lives.
Also, there is a path that goes from the farm to the stone house through a field between them. If you need some exercise and want to make a day of it this might be worth taking a stroll along.
Hours
Monday – Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm; Sunday, 12:30 pm – 5 pm March 1 – Nov. 15. Closed in Winter but open weekends in December for “Christmas at Laura’s.”
Admission
Children 5 and under free, children 6-17 $7, Adults 18 and over $14.
Address
3060 State Hwy A, Mansfield, MO 65704
Mansfield sites:
Gravesite of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Almanzo Wilder
You can visit Laura Ingalls Wilder’s and Alamazo Wilder’s gravesites at the Mansfield Cemetery
Address: 200 N. Lincoln, Mansfield, MO. 65704.
Sweet Nellies
Ice cream parlor and small restaurant downtown nearby you can see a bust of Laura Ingalls Wilder in the town square near the gazebo.
Address: 107 W Parksquare, Mansfield, MO 65704
Other Little House Links:
- Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, Walnut Grove, Minnesota
- Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society, De Smet, South Dakota
- Little House on the Prairie Museum, Independence, Kansas. (I have visited here. It includes a small cabin. It is amazing to see how little of a place they lived in when they were here.)
- Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, Pepin, Wisconsin
- Laura Ingalls Park and Museum, Bur Oak, Iowa
Lane Spring
From Mansfield, Mo., we took Highway 63 back towards St. Louis. We stopped at Lane Spring Recreation Area where you can see a spring. If you have time you can even swim in the Little Piney Creek that spring flows into.
Hiking can also be done here. The 1.25-mile Blossom Rock Trail and the 1.5-mile Cedar Bluff Trail traverse through lush bottomland vegetation with abundant wildflowers, before climbing to views of the river and rock outcroppings. Birding and wildlife viewing is popular along the trails.
Admission: $2 a vehicle
Address: Lane Spring Campground, Rolla, MO 65401
Houston Mo.
Houston is the county seat of Missouri’s largest county, Texas. On the north side of town, there is a huge park, Emmett Kelley Park, which has a playground, picnic tables and a small stream that you can walk along. The famous circus clown Emmett Kelley spent his childhood in Houston.
If you want to do some hiking, Piney River Narrows State Natural Area is located on Highway 17 just outside of town. If you are on Highway 17 on your right is Dog’s Bluff Access where you can go swimming in the river.
Rolla
Missouri S&T Stonehenge
At least a partial, half-scale version of the original ancient megalithic monument located in the U.K.
We didn’t have really time to stop, but I’ve been there before. You can also attend solstice and equinox there and dates for these can be found on the website.
Address: 1400 North Bishop, Rolla, MO 65409
Cuba Mo.
On the way home, we stopped for dinner at Missouri Hick Barbecue. The restaurant is all wooden and done in sort of a hillbilly theme. They had crayons and a dinosaur coloring pad for Andrew. Out front, there is a nice Highway 66 mosaic interlaid on the front porch. Cuba also has a number of murals throughout the town, which are worth checking out if you have the time.
Earlier Blogs on Branson And More Route 66 Sites Click Below!
