Visiting Laura Ingalls Wilder's Rocky Ridge Farm
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- Опубліковано 4 кві 2014
- On a dreary day in March of 2014 we took a road trip to Mansfield Missouri to visit the home of Laura Ingalls and Almanzo James Wilder. Laura called this place "Rocky Ridge Farm". The house and farm are open for visitors (for a fee of course), but for someone interested in LIW and the Little House series of books (and TV shows) it is worth the cost of admission.
Unfortunately the foundation which manages the property do not allow video or photography inside any of the buildings, so this video shows only the grounds.
We also visited the Rock House, where the Wilders lived from 1928 to 1936. At this location the tour guide talked to us outside of the house both before and after the formal tour. That discussion, which is included in this video, is quite interesting.
Yes, I do know that I said her husband's name wrong. I mis-spoke. Get over it ladies! It was a mistake! I can't go back and change the video after the fact. This whole trip was because my wife is a big LIW fan, I had never read the books nor watched the TV show. I had never heard of this Almonzo (or Alfonzo, or "Gonzo", or "hey-stupid", or what ever else she may have called him) character before. So don't get your undies tied into a bundle because I mis-spoke some stupid guys name.
In July of 2013 we visited Peppin WI, Walnut Grove MN, and DeSmet SD, sites from Laura's child hood, and the sites of many of her books. The video of that visit may be seen at: • Following the Trail of...
Thank you so very much for sharing this! I have visited this historic and emotional site...... I remember crying when I had the honor of visiting her gravesite and crying and talking to her.... she had such a impact on my life I only wish that those who are those who are the legal caretakers would invest more to care for this historic site! For those who do care, read up on how much money is NOT given to historic sites like this but instead are put into the pockets of those who are the heirs! I remember being told by those who were caretakers of this site, that there were very little funds to care for and to protect this site, due to most of the money being filtered down... was being given to family members who refused to support historic places such as this... I will always remember visiting Laura and Almonzo's graves and being brought to tears... I was the only person at that moment visiting and I remember feeling as though I was attending their funerals as if it was just the other day.... I will always be thankful to Laura for writing about her life.... she touched my life... I love her!
Zolwena they have built a really nice new museum that is close to the property.
Me too.I never knew ....she touched my life i read every book and watched every show.I had didn't know that she was so small even as a grown lady
Zolwena
I understand what you mean 🙄
Her books changed my life too. In so many ways
My Mother's side of my family is the Ingalls family. Laura was mom's great aunt. As a blood relative, my question to you is: "What fucking money"?
Our family hasn't seen a single penny.
@@ACEDIAMOND666 She didn't see what family. As far as I have read (and been told), all the of the money from the books and all related products (which are now many) go to the family of Roger MacBride. Almanzo and Laura left their estate to their daughter, and since she had no children, she left her inheritance to this man.
Been there about 4 times it is awesome. Feels like we know them when you go there. We visited there gravesites also. I left her a little note . And a pen because she was a writer. I love old history anyway. The museum is wonderful too. They have built a new museum. I've got pictures everywhere. On the porches and all over the grounds . The inside of the house was made for her because she was a short lady. I wished I could have known her. I love you Laura ingalls wilder.
We read the series years ago. My mother always wished she could visit the site. Thanks to your kindness she can...in her 80s. Thank you.
And I can't believe there stepping where Laura and Almanzo once stepped
Faride ahmadi I know right!? Such a bonnet head!
It's pretty amazing! I sure don't know what I expected but wow it's fabulous and now I want to go visit lol
Thank you for sharing this, I really enjoyed your video.
Thank you SO much for sharing your journey! I was born in 1973, and was given the set of Little House books when I was 4. I was an early and voracious reader, and the poor set was worn out by age 10. Ever since then and the end of the TV series, the Ingalls/Wilder story has held a very special place in my heart. I do hope to visit at least one of the sites some day. In case I can't, I'm grateful I got to see them through your videos. :)
Thanks for watching my videos, I know that being there is always best, but I try to give a sense of the place for those who can not visit. I only wish I could have shown even more.
curmudgeon66 I wish you could have too. But I understand, for the most part. :)
Thank you so much for sharing this great video ! I live in Japan but love Little House books all my life and it is my dream to visit here one day. Again thank you so much, Domo Arigato. 😌🙏
from a sod-house to this rock house in her life time is amazing.
Before she lived in the sod house in Kansas, she lived in the little house in the big woods.
What peaceful homes they had. Both homes had a great view. Thank you so much for the tour.
I live in Mansfield and they have built a large new museum and book store in the field just below the white house they have also added the rock house Laura lived in for a few years . They are also getting ready to rebuild the farm barn and yes pas fiddle is here and they play it once a year
Ok - and when are they going to allow visitors to use their cameras? The no photography policy stinks.
I'm learning about Laura Ingalls Wilder in school so this really helps!
You did such a wonderful job. Bless your heart for sharing this.
But his heart had nothing to do with it, it was his brain which made all the decisions.. 🙌🙌🏃🏃🏃🏃👽👽👽🚼🐵
@@TheKonga88 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️️🤦♀️ Imagine being so dumb that you can't understand an expression, can't relate.
@@TheKonga88stop
@@BookMama72 Stop what exactly, stating facts? LMMFAO 🤡🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Very similar to my grandmother's house. Always started w one room and added on as family expanded. Very cool!
Almanzo had to have been the best kind of husband. He knew Laura didn't want to be a farmer 's wife yet there he was wanting no one but her, so he did everything in his power to build houses with her in mind to make her comfortable.
The Almanzo Wilder Farm, in Malone, NY, is available for touring in May. It is the setting of Laura's Farmer Boy book. Dean Butler, who played Almanzo on the TV show, works to get donations for the maintenance of it and has given talks there. Great man & so likable.
It's amazing how they preserved this house
Thank You!!! I can almost see Laura and Almanzo standing in the yard of their farmhouse. It is beautiful and the screened in porch, the fieldstone chimney that Almanzo built by hand, and the Rock House cottage that Rose built for her parents in the rolling Ozark hills are familiar to me even though I have never been there. My biggest dream is to visit Rocky Ridge someday. Thank You Mr Curmudgeon.
You are quite welcome, and I do appreciate your kind comments.
I just have to ask you...did you see Pa's fiddle inside the farmhouse?
Don't remember - that was 2 years ago.
Pas fiddle is in the museum, they take it out and play it at wilder days every year!
Rachel S. Thank You! I hope I can someday travel to Mansfield and see it.
Like many others, Laura was key to surving a bad child hood. I love her forever.
She did NOT have a bad childhood. Stop projecting.
Loved LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE fantastic TV series ! Still watch even now love it to bits Best wishes to all our USA cousins!
Thank you so much for this video. I will,probably never get to visit here.
Same here. I'm in California
Same here. I'm in Colorado and I don't think I will ever be in that state. Just wish tjere were videos if inside tje house. How much do they charge anyways to tour the house. Shameful that all the family members choose to keep the money and not put back into this historical house. So greedy and God see's that!!! Shame Shame Shame on them. This really makes me never even want to travel there knowing my money is going to the relatives and not to preserve this historical place. So sad!!!!! I hope others do the same and make all the family members rethink what they are doing and feel the pain of being greedy!!!!!!!
@@deathdragon745 Please google pictures of this house!! They're on Google :) I live in Missouri and plan to visit Rocky Ridge!!
THANK YOU FOR letting us see inside threw windows. God bless you
Thank you so much for posting this video. Even though it stinks we couldn't see the inside, I think you did a fabulous job describing things for viewers. I wish I could afford to visit one day.
Thank you so much for filming this and taking us along.
Both your uploads giving us a personal tour of Laura Wilder's adventures were fantastic! Thank you for sharing w/ us!
Thank you for posting this. Even if we did not get to see the insides it was still quite interesting.
The inside is truly magnificent to see. Really awesome and worth the trip !
I don't think I will ever get a chance to see it by myself since I'm French and it's way too far for me. Thank you for sharing this, I feel I was there with you. Too bad they don't allow filming inside, I was curious about how it was decorated and how it was built. The house seems pretty big from the outside
I can't thank you and your wife enough for posting these videos of the Wilder homes. I plan to go on a tour of them myself some day, but until I can spare some time from work to go, this is the next best, virtual, thing.
This is my dream house ! Wow!. Laura! Almonzo was quite the carpenter :)
I know this is an older video but I just had to comment. How lucky you are to have visited the places that are connected with Laura. My fourth grade teacher read those books to us and I have never forgotten I'm 67 now and they are just as loved as they were then thank you so much for your videos
When Almanzo made the chimney, at his eye level he placed a solid line of fossil rock. I got to see it myself !!! Almanzo also made a special place for Laura to make the bread because she didn't enjoy it. It had a lower window so she could see out and enjoy the view. The kitchen had a pass-through so Laura wouldn't have to carry dinner dishes from the new kitchen to the dining area. At the time I went, the loft was being repaired, so we didn't get to see it. There were several items that Mary crochted(sp) after she became blind. You really have to go see this place. The museum has a lot of things to see. I just happened to discover it while visiting relatives in Lockwood, Mo. Laura and Almanzo traveled through Lockwood on their way to Mansfield.
Yes I loved the pass thru from the kitchen to the dining room for the dishes and food. ... so amazing. And practical
no picture policies drive me nuts.. I often will not go to such places, if I have to pay to get in. It's not like I am going to sell the pictures..
My sisters 5th grade teacher I think it was, was Laura's grand-daughter. I'm going to share this video with her. She loved that teacher and all the Little House stories because of that teacher.
Renee` Hill That can’t be correct. Laura and Almanzo only had one child that lived to adulthood, which was their daughter Rose. Rose married and had a son, but he died as a baby. They had no other direct descendent.
@@maryannebrown2385 well then that old lady was relsted to her some other way or I remember it wrong. I'll ask my sister. My sister is 65 now and this lady was my sisters teacher in Canyon Texas in elementary school but I can't remember her name. I'll ask my sister and get back with you. She introduced my sister to the Little House books at an early age.
Thanks for taking the time to show this & post this video.
I visited in the late 80’s or early 90’s.. The ceilings also were very low, even for me and I am 5’2. It was my favorite small museum.
Once again thanks for posting a great video about Laura and her family!
You're quite welcome. We enjoyed the trips and are happy to share what we saw.
Thanks! a very well known story even here in France. Thanks for the journey!
Looks like a fun trip Guy. I'm glad you and the wife had a chance to experience the trip. Little House On The Prairie was an awesome series. Take care my friend. Aieee!
Thanks for the comment Chef. Yes the trip was both fun and interesting. Seeing this, after seeing the places in WI, MN and SD last year was a great follow up to that trip.
I've so enjoyed your videos. Thank you for sharing them!
Thank you so much for this fine venture. I took my wife there one summer she had always wanted to visit there. After 30 years of waiting she was able to visit. Mansfield is a nice place to live. Brought back memories. Thank you so much for the visit.
You are quite welcome
Thank You for this video! I love the Little House Books. Some of us live too far to ever be able to go see it. So thank you for posting this video!!
Thank you for sharing this and for your attempts to get inside photos!
What I especially recall is how low the counter tops and cabinets were in the kitchen. She was a very short lady
My mom, Vickie Ingalls, is 4'9"....runs in the family.....
@@ACEDIAMOND666funny. None of Laura’s siblings had children. 🤣🤣🤣
Thank you. I’ll never get there, but I’ve been a big fan since I was a girl in the 60’s. The books, I still read them probably once a year. Thanks for doing it for me.
Thank you for this. I read her books as a child and absolutely loved them. I would love to read them again...Amazon here I come.
Being a boy, I didn't read the "LIttle House" books. But I am a huge fan of Laura's duaghter, Rose Wilder Lane, so these videos are really interesting to help fill in the gaps about Rose. Thanks for posting.
They probably don't want anyone taking pictures or video of the inside because if everyone got to see what it looked like on you tube they wouldn't come spend the money on the tours to see it
Christina Dawson duh
Yep exactly.
People actually pay to see it?
Also glad photography and other devices can harm the artifacts and period clothing
That could go either way; pictures might inspire people to come see for themselves.
Thank you for share this video. Very interesting to watch.
HALF PINT WAS A LIL GREAT LADY , HOW FABULOUS TO SEE THIS , 🙏❤🥰
Thank You for making & sharing this video.
Thankyou for sharing this, long time Laura fans will love it
Thank you so much for sharing your trip! The "Alfonzo" thing was hilarious...I kept saying, "it's Almanzo..." then you commented that your wife corrected you...too funny! Thanks again for sharing it!
Shannon Eishen if you look through comments and his replies, he’ll say he doesn’t care what his name was and how he didn’t care about them. He’s an ass.
Thoroughly enjoyed this video. many thanks.
😍 I remember visiting this place back in 2001! Thanks for the share!
In regard to filming inside: I don't know if this is the reason it is not allowed, but...Although the rooms are spacious, they are not huge. Then put 5-10 people in a room, everyone has their phones out filming, and no one can see anything. Also, the tour guides give a history of the home while going through, so again, everyone is busy playing with their phones instead of listening. Just go though the house, enjoy it, and if you want to have a memory of inside, buy some postcards in the gift shop.
If you are able, it was really fun walking the trail from the farm house to the rock house, and you could imagine them walking the trail to visit one another. It was pretty hilly in some areas, so you have to be up for a hike. Thanks for sharing your video. Great memories!
Thank you so much for this video! I always wanted to go there. Just fascinating.
Thanks for sharing this video. It was a shame they wouldn't let you film inside but I appreciated you giving all the details that you could remember. This was really lovely to see.
thank you so much for this visit...
I visited here at 6 years old while living in Missouri. I have loved and read the series my whole life.
It’s nice to see where Laura and Almanzo retired to. It looks pretty in that area. Somebody posted a video of where the Little House in the Big Woods cabin sat. I was surprised not to see very many trees. The way she described it in the book, I expected to see giant redwoods like we have in California. But it looked more like a prairie now. I wonder what became of the big woods she spoke of?
People cut down the trees for the wood and didn’t replenish the forest.
@@barbiegirlthrifter6841 oh …sad 😞Just what Laura’s dad didn’t want. I remember he moved because he said too many people were in the woods.
Thank you for the video. I went to Walnut Grove a few years ago and hope to go to Rocky Ridge this July. Great video.
Nice video..i enjoyed watching😁❤
I didn't get to see the Rock House when I was there. Thank you for this.
Regardless of every thing else I said, THANK YOU for posting this. :)
Thank you for putting this up - I'd love to tour the 'Laura' trail but living in the UK with not a great amount of money atm. In the meantime I shall enjoy this.
Even in the USA her homes are far away for a lot of us. I live in New York State... far away. America is a big place
Allison I to live in New York upstate.
Allison same here. I live in Texas and haven’t seen any of these sites. The closest I ever got to one of the places in her lifetime was visiting my great aunt who lived in Independence, KS. I’ve been there a few times. It’s a nice little town.
Really wish they didn't build that museum building so close to the house give it more of the farmer's life experience without that eyesore beautiful property and home love how manly built the kitchen so perfect for his beloved bess
Thank you for posting this.
Thanks so much for sharing. very interesting...
Going from horse drawn carriage to a car that shows how long they lived to see progress in their own life time.
Using the tv series music theme was a great isea. Tks for the informative presentation. Colin John Aussie. (THATS "idea" tks).
Thanks for the video. I will probably never get to see this place. Too bad they didn't let you take video inside. I grew up reading the Little House books over and over. It's so cool to see this.
I appreciate this video. Ive never seen the place myself. But I cracked up every time you said "Alfonzo" lol. He wasn't Fonzi lol but it was hysterical to hear you say that.
Ty for sharing . Would love tour Laura's home someday!
The rock house is irresistibly charming! What a gorgeous view there was out of the main window. I wouldn't want to cut all that grass though. Thanks for showing this captivating attraction.
Glad you enjoyed the video. We had a great time going there and seeing the place, just wish they would have let me show the insides, but I did the best I could with what was allowed. I really thought the guide at the Rock House was interesting to listen to.
+curmudgeon66 I am always bummed when going to these historical places, they don't allow a few photos for you to have for yourself. They say it is because of the flash of a camera. But those can be turned off.
thanks for sharing your videos!
Great job sir... thank you !
I was there in 1998. What struck me first off was how close the 1970s modern "tourist" office building is to the original house. This should have been built farther away from the house. It ruins the whole setting. The tour guides were not very friendly, either. Their "no pictures" policy was quite annoying. I felt like telling them to....well....never mind.
+chad3200 well said ;)
I have thought about taking a trip there, but I it sounds like it would not be worth it..thanks.
Yes it is worth it to see
That's what I was thinking, too! Shame on them for putting their buildings so close to a historical keepsake!!
When I saw that on the video, I thought the same thing. I wondered why that building had to be built so close.
Thankyou for doing this film forlaura a almonzo wilder
I love this type of history.
Thanks for sharing this video. Thanks for letting us know that video & photography isn't allowed at the Rocky Ridge Farm. I would love to visit this place in Mansfield, Missouri. Have a nice week & Fourth of July holiday! :-)
THANK YOU. I READ ALL HER BOOKS. CANT TRAVEL.
Ty for the video I was there must have been just a few months before you fan of Laura and alfanzo
Oh u must see anne of green gables in pei ,it's like a magical beautiful haven.
Laura n almonzo are my great 4x aunt and uncle..
Mandie Wilder You realise after 2nd, you're not actually related... You have no relation to them at all XD
Why is she not related?
You're a very lucky woman!
Watch out for @jensmom she will bitch u out for misspelling Almanzo's name.lol
They have no nieces and nephews on the Ingalls side.
Thank you very much!
Been Here Several Times.. I Live about 20 Mins Away
I read your book.
thank you for your sharing about Laura Ingalls Wilder and her husband and house with farm . thank you . i will not go there and still have a good dvd movies about them at home .
Oh l just love Little House on the prairie it's my show to see of being humble and great full innocent lessons taught.
Thanks! Great to see! (:
Hello. I am Irish. Lol. Anyway, thank you so much for this tour. Who hasn’t been fascinated with Laura Ingalls, her family and life, right? Too bad they don’t allow photography. I am guessing it’s because they’re afraid nobody will come to their property if they’ve already seen videos of it.
But they forget, a lot of people in the world, may never get to see it in person, so the only way for them& me) to see it. The Rock House is a beautiful home.
Thank you for your videos. I read all her books as a child and I always wanted to visit the places where she lived. Recently, my brother who is a pastor in South Dakota, had the privilege of preaching at the church in De Smet that Charles Ingalls founded.
As a child I never read any of her books, and now that I am a "seasoned citizen" I still have not read any of her books, nor do I have any desire to read any of them. The videos were for my wife who is interested. Personally, I could not care less about any of this "Laura" stuff, it is all a waste of time to me.
I'm sure it meant a lot to your wife that you went with to those sites with her.
Grey forest.. I too have read all the books (most multiple times) and I have been fortunate enough to bust many of her homesteads.
Pepin, WI
Walnut Grove, MN
De Smet, SD
Mansfield, MO
I wrote I have been fortunate enough to visit most of her homesteads!
Missed Burr Oak, IA and Independence, KS
nice video. We toured the site this summer. I agree too bad we could not take pix inside as it was so quaint and cheerful
Good work, sir. I live near Almanzo's home.
Thank you so much for this video. I really enjoyed it. I should have been born a long time ago. Lots of people have told me that.
OOOO! Laura's "Pioneer Girl" was published in November 2014, per a newspaper that I read today. I purchased a copy today!!
Thanks for sharing the video
I LOVE LHOP I STILL WAT H TO THIS DAY FUN GREAT SHOW
Thank you!
To bad you couldn’t have filmed inside but what you were able to film was great thanks for sharing.
I appreciate your effort very much to video for us...but i would be furious if I would have traveled as far as you did and not be able to photograph such an amazing place in our history. Thank you for your video.
YW
Wow very beautiful..... I love writer rose wailder ...☺️
Interesting. Thx for sharing
I like the stone house. You can see the Sears house kit design in it. It's a mixture of that and a bit of the Arts and Crafts movement of the time.
For pictures of the interior, find a copy of "Laura" by Donald Zochert.