Skip to Main Content
American Masters

Disaster was looming when the Ingalls moved to Minnesota

Disaster struck with the arrival of the Rocky Mountain locust invasion of 1875.

Aired 12/29/2020

American Masters

Disaster was looming when the Ingalls moved to Minnesota

Clip: 12/29/2020 | 2m 14sVideo has Closed Captions

Disaster struck with the arrival of the Rocky Mountain locust invasion of 1875.

In 1874, the Ingalls family moved to Plum Creek in Minnesota. They built what was likely the nicest house they’d ever lived in, the weather was perfect and they expected a perfect crop that would pay off their debts. Then disaster struck with the arrival of the Rocky Mountain locust invasion of 1875.

Aired 12/29/2020

Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback

Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback

Support for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo...

How the logs of the "Little House" cabin were stolen

Video has Closed Captions

How the logs that Charles Ingalls used for the little house belonged to Osage Indians. (2m 8s)

Laura Ingalls Wilder: Prairie to Page trailer

Video has Closed Captions

A look at the unlikely author whose fiction helped shape American ideas of the frontier. (3m 26s)

The letter from NY that changed Laura Ingalls Wilder's life

Video has Closed Captions

The news, at age 64, from a New York editor was unexpected for Laura Ingalls Wilder. (1m 49s)

"Little House" TV stars Alison Arngrim and Dean Butler

Video has Closed Captions

Arngrim and Butler talk about how the show had fans in Ronald Reagan and the Ayatollah. (2m 58s)

Roxane Gay and others on racist “Little House” depictions

Video has Closed Captions

Roxane Gay, Louise Erdrich and others discuss racist depictions in Wilder’s books. (2m 23s)

The secret mother-daughter collaboration on “Little House”

Video has Closed Captions

Recent scholarship has shed light on this secret collaboration. (4m 6s)

Until she was an author, money was a struggle for Wilder

Video has Closed Captions

Until she became a best-selling author, making ends meet was a struggle. (2m 20s)

The word that Laura refused to say in her wedding vows

Video has Closed Captions

Laura Ingalls' courtship with Almanzo Wilder led to a unique wedding ceremony. (3m 35s)

Providing Support for PBS.org

Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship

Support for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo...

Sign in with Email

or

Continue with GoogleContinue with FacebookContinue with Apple

By creating an account, you acknowledge that PBS may share your information with our member stations and our respective service providers, and that you have read and understand the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Are you sure you want to remove null from My List?