The millions of viewers of Little House on the Prairie around the world know, the cult series is inspired by a true story. In order to design his program, Michael Landon drew inspiration from the writings of the real Laura Ingalls Wilder, today a renowned novelist who, between 1932 and 1943, published autobiographical works.
Little House on the Prairie tells the story of Laura Ingalls’ youth, played by Melissa Gilbert in Walnut Grove. With nine seasons under its belt, the series has seen hundreds of characters pass through its 204 episodes. While some of them really existed in real life, others are pure imaginations of the showrunners. Yes, Nellie Oleson, Isaiah Edwards and Jenny Wilder are inventions of the writers and producers! If we know what Charles Ingalls looked like in real life, what about his daughter, Laura?
Who was the real Laura Ingalls Wilder portrayed in Little House on the Prairie ?
The real Laura Ingalls was born in a small village in Wisconsin, USA, in February 1867. Just like in the series, the woman of letters was described, from a young age, as an intelligent, independent and gifted girl. In 1874, when the girl was only 7 years old, the Ingalls family, consisting of the father, mother and brothers and sisters, decided to move and settle in Minnesota, in Walnut Grove.
After a few years of living together, Laura married Almanzo James Wilder in 1885. From this union, a baby, Rose, was born. Wanting to write about her life and experiences, the author published The Little House in the Big Woods in the 1930s. Upon its release, the book was a great success, which made the writer want to continue wielding her pen.
Today, the public knows the name of the heroine thanks to the series Little House on the PrairieEven more than 60 years after his death, his legacy continues to be honored by fans of the program and historians alike.
