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On the Banks of Plum Creek – the fictional story

Farming struggles in Minnesota.

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On the Banks of Plum Creek – historical perspective

Walnut Grove in the 1870s.

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“Three Blind Mice”

Popular nursery song, sung in rounds.

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Caroline Ingalls

Mother of Laura Ingalls. She lived 1839-1924.

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Chicago Inter-Ocean / Inter-Ocean

Republican political newspaper.

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hatchet

A small ax with a short handle, to be used with one hand.

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N

nailer – nutmeg

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awl

pokes holes

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“The New Year’s Come”

1842 “Why chime the bells so merrily?”

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“The Campbells are Coming”

Traditional Scottish jig.

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Godey’s Lady’s Book

Women’s magazine, 1830-1898.

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census taker

Statistical registration of members of a country.

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Timothy Johnson family

De Smet Wagon Shop.

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elephant

A very large quadruped.

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Hill-Billy

1926 Rose Wilder Lane book.

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whiskey

Spirits distilled from grain.

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Peter Pfeiffer family

John May’s son-in-law.

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Jacob Hopp

Printer and De Smet newspaper owner.

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elevator

Warehouse for seed and grain.

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lone cottonwood / lone tree

The big one between the lakes.

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milk pan / milk-pan / milkpan

Where cream rises.

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John D. Peirson

Early De Smet liveryman.

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mother-of-pearl

Hard, silvery, brilliant, internal layer of several kinds of shells, particularly oysters.

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“The Floating Scow of Old Virginia”

1847 Charles White song.

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barrel

Round vessel or cask made of wooden staves.

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church

Place of Christian worship.

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The Floweret

1842 book of verse by Anna Maria Wells.

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“Ta-ra-ra-Boom-de-Ay”

1891 Henry J. Sayers song.

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S

Sabbath – sycamore

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Rocky Ridge Farm

The Wilders’ Missouri farm east of Mansfield

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cornice

Molded roof or window projection.

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alley / alleyway

Narrow passageway, distinct from public street.

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Blanche Coday

Rose’s friend.

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dried-raspberry sauce

Dried sauce good on biscuits.

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“The Gypsy’s Warning”

1864 Henry Coard song.

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“nervous as a witch”

restless

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bull dog / bulldog

All of him rested, except his ears.

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mud hen / mudhen

American coot.

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“The Star-Spangled Banner”

Our National Anthem; words by Francis Scott Key.

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swan

Cygnus Americanus

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De Smet today

Where I would like to be right now.

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cosy / cozy

snug and comfortable

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cabin / log house

A small cottage; a hut or small house.

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Hamlin Garland

…and his first Christmas tree!

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blacking / stove-blacking / boot blacking

Preparation used to make things black.

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Old Military Tract

Franklin Co. NY map reference

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buck / buckskin

Male of the fallow deer, and leather made from its skin.

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“yell like a Comanche”

Imitated Indian battle cry.

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“Mary of the Wild Moor”

1845 song by Joseph W. Turner.

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Malone Hotels

Where the horse-buyer spent the night.

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Peytona & Fashion

Currier & Ives print at Rocky Ridge Farm.

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“Home, Sweet Home”

1823 Payne & Bishop song.

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Little House on the Prairie – the fictional story

The Ingallses in Indian Territory.

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“I Wish I Was Single Again”

1871 J.C. Beckel song.

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Big Tracy Cut

“100 feet deep & tapering off for 1/4 mile”

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“The Star of Bethlehem”

When Marshalled on the Nightly Plane

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bank

financial institution

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Doxology

Old Hundred.

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These Happy Golden Years – the fictional story

Laura teaches and falls in love.

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cottage cheese

Curdled skim milk.

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huckleberry

Let’s have some pie!

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Volga, Dakota Territory

Town on the Dakota Central R.R. between Brookings and Arlington, platted in 1879.

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acre

4840 square yards of land.

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“Jingle Bells”

1857 James Pierpont song.

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T

tableland – two-faced

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Governor of Orleans / The American Remount Association

Registered stallion leased to Almanzo Wilder 1923-1925.

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basket

Woven container.

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birthday

As near as I can figure, E.J. was right.

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udder

Where the milk is before milking.

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gopher

Four don’t go fur…

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Come Into the Garden, Maud

1855 poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

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Henry Hinz

Owner of first saloon in De Smet and boarder at the Ingallses’.

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brakeman

Person who stops the train.

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“It’s a Long, Long Way to Tipperary”

1912 Judge & Williams song.

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Singing School

Choral music classes

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O

oak – oyster

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oranges

Citrus fruit.

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Mr. Clancy / Chauncey Clayson

Drygoods store owner, Chauncey Clayson

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turntable

Revolving railroad platform.

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dumpling

Dough cooked in liquid.

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“The Rock of Ages”

Painting at Rev. Brown’s.

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equinoctial storm

Severe wind and heavy rain that occurs at or near the time of an equinox.

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“Bean Porridge Hot”

Bean porridge cold…

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Mr. and Mrs. Scott

Indian Territory neighbors of the Ingallses.

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Henry O. Quiner family

Ma’s brother, married to Pa’s sister Polly.

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“Lend a Helping Hand”

Hymn #22, Pure Gold for Sunday School.

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Old English letters

Variety of printing type.

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cant-hook / cant-pole

Instrument used by lumbermen to move logs.

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Margaret Garland family / Cap Garland

Family living behind the Ingallses in De Smet.

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The House that Jack Built

…for two pieces of money.

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Laura’s Bible references

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s hand-written list of Bible verses to be read in times of trouble or stress.

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Walter Ogden

Surveyors’ House housemate 1879-80

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“Pop! Goes the Weasel”

Traditional American song.

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nubia

A light scarf worn about the head and neck.

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railroad camp / Silver Lake camp

Temporary dwellings for workers during surveying or construction.

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“Kitty Wells”

1858 Sloan & Atherton song.

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beet

Succulent root vegetable.

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“Dakota Land”

1876 hymn, Beulah Land.

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George A. Williams

Superintendent of Schools, 1883.

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fascinator

Pretty, light head covering.

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By the Shores of Silver Lake – the fictional story

The railroad comes to Dakota.

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clear, pure green sky

Sunlight separated into colored bands at sunset.

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honey

Bee-made sweetness.

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cradle scythe

Blade and handle used to cut oats.

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surveyors’ house

railroad section house occupied by the Ingallses in 1879-1880

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Morocco leather

Fine goat leather.

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“The Gum-Tree Canoe”

1847 Steele & Winnemore song.

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“Home of the Soul”

1865 E.M.H. Gates hymn.

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album

Blank booklet for collecting autographs or photos.

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Big Sioux River / Sioux River

SD-IA tributary of Missouri River.

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accordion

musical instrument

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hoity-toity snip

Thoughtless, giddy, haughty, flighty, gay, and noisy.

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satchel

Small, soft-sided handled luggage.

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gingerbread

Chocolate frosting adds to the goodness!

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“The Pied Piper”

Robert Browning poem.

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powder horn / powder-horn

Animal horn in which gunpowder is carried.

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clove apple / clove-apple

Spice-preserved fruit decoration.

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button lamp

Improvised grease lamp.

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pullaway

Outdoor tagging game.

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World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition

Destination of the Wilder brothers in the fall of 1884.

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“Uncle Ned”

One of the earliest Stephen Foster songs.

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Wilkin School

April 20 – July 10, 1885.

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Spookendyke

Rose’s stubborn donkey

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“My Jenny Jerusha Jane”

1868 A.G. Chase song.

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Jim River / James River

A tributary of the Missouri River.

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“Oft in the Stilly Night”

Song from Lalla Rookh.

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ash withe / ash-withe

A flexible, slender twig or branch used as a band for tying.

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carding-machine

Straightens fibers by combing.

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Poverty Flat

Early De Smet residential area.

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quarter section / quarter-section

One-fourth of a square mile, consisting of 160 acres.

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watermelon-rind preserves

sugary jelly

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The Advance

Weekly family newspaper of the Congregational church.

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dickcissel / dickie-bird

A semi-nomadic finch, Spiza americana.

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Henry Burvee

One of the first settlers in Kingsbury Co.

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Alfred Thomas

He was MARRIED, people!!

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freeze drying

sublimation!

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chewing gum

Long white sticks of chewiness.

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Royal Wilder

Almanzo’s older brother.

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starry papers

Hand-made shelf edging.

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Mother Goose

Fictionalized compiler of ancient nursery rhymes.

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willow

Tree of the genus Salix.

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“Buy a Broom”

O Du Leiber Augustin.

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biscuits

A kind of un-fermented bread, formed into flat cakes, and baked.

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Alfred N. Waters

Attorney and land agent in De Smet.

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“Rock Me to Sleep”

Elizabeth Allen poem.

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canvas

Coarse hemp or flax cloth.

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cream of tartar / baking powder

Byproduct of wine-making process, used in baking as leavening agent.

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Laura’s wedding silver

Wm. Rogers’ “Crown” silverplate.

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Army bugle

Brass military horn.

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patent / title

official property ownership document

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“A Life on the Ocean Wave”

1847 Epes Sargent poem put to music.

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by jingo!

A corruption of St. Gengoulph.

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“Money Musk”

Traditional American dance tune.

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Braille / New York Point

Used by Mary Ingalls.

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“Hail Columbia”

1789 Philip Phile march.

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dovekie

Arctic aquatic bird, Alle alle.

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Henry Ford’s Own Story

Industrialist and founder of Ford Motor Company.

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“Billy Boy”

English folk song.

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Thomas Quiner

Ma’s brother and Laura’s uncle

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lemon

The citrus fruit

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roller towel

Long towel with ends sewn together, hung on a rod.

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Little House in the Big Woods – historical perspective

Pepin Twp., Pepin Co. Wisconsin

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carpet-bag / carpetbag

Traveling-bag

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poultice

Applied to sores to help them heal.

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herd

A number of large beasts assembled together.

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tableland

Elevated flat land; a plateau.

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galluses / suspenders

Straps worn for holding up pants.

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Indian camps

Look! Beads!

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twisting hay

makes a hot, quick fire

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spinning wheel / spinning-wheel

Turns wool into yarn.

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muskrat

Their houses predict winter weather.

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“On Jordan’s Stormy Banks”

Long Winter song

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coal / coal hod

Carbonized plant matter mined and used as fuel.

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Freddy Ingalls

Laura’s brother (1875-1876)

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ice cream social

Laura and Almanzo didn’t enjoy it.

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stockade

Enclosure of posts or sticks.

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Have you seen the comet?

Tebbutt’s Great Comet of 1881.

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surveyor

One who measures land and delineates the same on paper.

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“Polly Wolly Doodle”

Daniel Decatur Emmett song.

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handcar

Don’t be left behind!

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galumphing

To move in a clumsy, ponderous, or noisy manner.

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bison / “The Bison Track”

Bayard Taylor poem about Bos Americanus, found in Independent Fifth Reader.

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birds in their little nests agree

Miss Wilder knew nothing about birds.

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De Smet Cemetery

Ma & Pa’s final resting place.

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Mr. Edwards / Edmund Mason

Was he Edmund Mason?

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Mary & Samuel Ray / Ellen & Amos Leonard

Sisters feuding over a lovely homeplace…and a man.

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“The Heavens Declare the Glory”

From The Conqueror, page 144.

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Charles H. Tinkham

Early undertaker and owner of the first furniture store in De Smet.

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“A Motto for Every Man”

1868 Harry Clifton song.

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William H. Steadman family

Proprietor of hotel in Burr Oak.

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“The Swan’s Nest”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem.

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name card / name-card

Pasteboard identification.

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Burr Oak during the Little House years

Town in Winneshiek County, Iowa.

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The Athenians

Hartville, Mo. study club.

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bobolink

On Mary Power’s name card.

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Reverend Edwin H. Alden

Walnut Grove Congregational minister and missionary in Dakota.

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Lost, between sunrise and sunset…

Horace Mann quotation from his Writings, published in 1872.

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Syndicate Hotel

Laura & Almanzo stayed there!

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tiger lily

Native spotted flower of tallgrass prairie.

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leap frog / leap-frog

Run and jump game.

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