De Smet, SD – Rest Day

Sleeping-in this morning was top priority for me!  We changed our hair appointment to this afternoon so we could be out and about this morning when it hopefully would be a little cooler. It did get hot here today! The weather is to change and we hope the wind is out of the north as they are predicting.    

 We drove to the original Ingalls Homestead located just outside of the town of De Smet.  This area is presently privately owned.  In the Visitors center we watched a short film before walking to the buildings and outdoor activities.  Their goal for your visit at the ‘Ingalls Homestead’ is for it to be a hands-on experience, especially for children. There are activities such as spinning wool, braiding stripes of cloth to make a small rug/coaster, rope making, washing clothes – using a hand cranked wringer, hanging clothes on the line, and then rides on little horses or in carts pulled by gentle horses. Later you can ride in a covered wagon which takes you to the prairie school house.  At the school house a teacher will meet you.  Inside you first put on prairie style clothes including aprons and bonnets or straw hats, and then you sit for a class session. Kids would love this place.  My cousin in California wrote that at night her husband is reading the ‘Little House’ series to their children right now – they would love this place.

Sod House built on the Ingalls Homestead

Shanty House built on the Ingalls Homestead

Inside the Shanty House

Replica of the Original Ingalls House at the Homestead Site

Kitchen in the Ingalls House



Bedroom in the Ingalls House



Children Spinning Wool





Barn with Hay Roof on the Ingalls Homestead

Ingalls House - Gardens (foreground) and Hay Roof Barn (background)



Ingalls Barn - Rides given on two wheeled cart and Covered Wagon

Surveyers House - First Ingalls House When they Arrived in De Smet, SD while Pa worked on the Railroad

Replica of Brewster School - The School where Laura Taught

Interior of Brewster School



Ingalls House in De Smet - House built by Pa when they moved off the Homestead

 

This afternoon we had lunch at the downtown soda fountain/variety shop/gift shop. Everywhere you go in this town there are ‘Little House’ mementoes. Lunch was followed by a great nap before our much needed hair cuts.

The weather is predicted to change tomorrow, so that the wind will be from the north. This being the case, Cal will be riding south all day. We need to go south and east to reach home.  We thought we wanted to catch a little of Minnesota to hit another State on this adventure, but it is more important to go with the wind.