Laura Ingalls Wilder Trip: June 22, 2011 Left Stillwater and drove toward the opposite side of Minneapolis to visit Annie and pick up Debbie. After coffee and delicious coffee cake, we hit the road headed toward Pepin (house of “Little House in the Big Woods” fame). On the way we were overwhelmed by the beauty of the countryside and random downpours. We stopped to view Lake Pepin, a 22 mile lake created by a shoal build up from the Chippewa River running into the Mississippi River. 

The dense trees contrast with the wide open fields. Imagine Pa hunting and trapping in those deep woods. Imagine him traipsing to Pepin through the thick grasses (it’s about 6 miles as the crow flies).

The Little House is absolutely teeny, unbelievably small (maybe 18 x18 feet for the whole house). The whole family slept in one itsy-bitsy room. It’s hard to believe that Pa and Ma slept in the bed, Laura and Mary slept on the trundle bed that slid out from under the main bed, and baby Carrie slept in a cradle. Tight quarters. Half the house had an attic where all the family’s provisions would be stored for the whole season (pumpkins, squash, salted and dried pork, deer, and bear, and much more). The food stored there would have to last all winter.

We stopped at Pepin and visited one of many Laura Ingalls Wilder Museums. We saw pictures of the family. There was extensive research about all the family members, whom they married, and where and when they traveled. Stayed overnight in Decorah, Iowa.