Walnut Grove Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant

12/23/2025

With Christmas Eve coming tomorrow evening there is much running about buying those last-minute gifts, baking goodies and cooking delicious food for the celebrations we look forward to enjoying.

In Walnut Grove in the days Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Ingalls were also looking forward to Christmas as well, only on a much humbler scale. In the Redwood Gazette December 5,1878, the newspaper wrote of a short vacation for the holidays and the town preparing for a Christmas tree. On December 19, 1878, the Redwood Gazette under Walnut Station items from "our Correspondent" about the snow & sleigh rides during the holidays and the Ladies Sewing Circle making "fancy work" for the Christmas tree.

The pioneers in and around Walnut Grove were poor for the most part making their living from the land. They made most of their Christmas decorations from popcorn, berries, foliage grown in the wild and handmade sewn, knitted or crocheted items. And they used their stockings and made sure all the holes were darned for Santa to come fill on Christmas Eve. The gifts also for the most part were hand made. Dolls from corn husks or left over scraps of materiel, toys made from wood, knitted mittens and caps, ribbons for their hair, or fur mufflers, as in Laura's case in our Walnut Grove Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant.

The difference between today's Christmas celebrations and those in the pioneer days are great. Think of living in a one or two room house, a fireplace or wood stove to heat and cook a meal of beans and maybe corn bread. Homemade treats were not as sweet as we are used to and were for special occasions. Some of the children may have received a special toy, or a piece of hard candy from the mercantile. I am sure if Ma and Pa Ingalls were alive today, they surely would not know what to think of our modern civilization.

12/19/2025

More information on the date of the broadcast of "It's a Wonderful Life with Walnut Grove Laura Ingalls Wilder Cast members; Julie, Daniel, Jennie and Jan and a fine cast of performers.

Add to your Christmas Eve by listening to this one-time broadcast!

12/18/2025

If you are interested in podcasts; William Anderson Author suggested a series by Sandra Hume. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/land-of-laura-the-podcast/id1845894957

This podcast covers everything Laura related, from weather to cooking, fashion and more, interviews with Pamela Smith Hill, the editor of "Laura Ingalls Wilder Pioneer Girl the Annotated Autobiography" and William Anderson Author of The Walnut Grove Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder and many other biographical Laura books. If you are looking for great informational books about Laura Ingalls Wilder check out both of these authors.

History Podcast · Land of Laura is the irreverent yet scholarly podcast about all things Laura Ingalls Wilder. Each episode offers insight from authors, historians, researchers, museum professionals — anyone who has so…

12/17/2025

One more cast call out from the MASC production of It's a Wonderful Life. The production played last weekend in Marshall.

More proof that we are a family at the Walnut Grove Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant even in the off season. Theater is a great way to build new friends and keep them throughout the years.

Jennie most recently had the role of Caroline Ingalls in the Walnut Grove Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant, Julie; Mrs. Oleson for many years in our production, and Daniel most recently had the role of William Oleson in the pageant and are all current members of The Walnut Grove Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant and Jan, right front row, was previously in the pageant for 12 years and had the roles of Margaret Kennedy, Margaret Oleson and Caroline Ingalls.

Thank you, Daniel, for sharing the great photo of some very wonderful actors.

12/16/2025

Did you know the Walnut Grove Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant has some live music?

Over the years we have been adding more live music. We have Daryl Who plays the dulcimer on stage during more dramatic scenes, last year we had Messina play a ukulele banjo and Taryn played a violin while a few others joined them in song. We have had many people singing Christmas carols before the Christmas scene, a group of children along with "Old Laura" sang by the creek. The men sing "Buffalo Gals" in the Kennedy house. There have been many others who have played a violin and sang live as well.

Our plan in the coming years is to add more live entertainment between scenes or during scenes where it would be appropriate.
There are so many talented people in the area whom we would like to showcase more.

12/16/2025

This is a really great park all year long.

Keep Plum Creek Park in Walnut Grove on your list of places to enjoy Minnesota winter! The park is a great place to explore, sled, snowshoe, ice fish on Lake Laura and take in the beautiful sights! The Park is not staffed during the winter months, but is open for the public to enjoy!

Check out our website, plumcreekpark.com

12/12/2025

What is an assistant director?

The assistant director is the person who helps the director. This may be by reading lines during practices for someone who is absent, cueing the animals, making sure the actors and actresses are where they need to be, helping with costumes, they are backstage during the shows helping the director get messages the cast and crew and so much more.

Over the years there have been at least 22 people (listed in the programs) who have been assistant directors. Those who had multiple years assisting are; Nancy Alcorn 1981-1984, Laura Anderson 1989-1992, Deb Saxton 1995, 1996 & 1998 and Erin Richards from 2006 to 2014.

Many of the assistant directors over the years have been high school students who are interested in theater and want to learn about assistant directing and directing. This is a great learning experience.

Shout out to all the assistant directors over the years you are an asset to this production, and we appreciate all you did to make each show a success!

12/11/2025

Update: This weekend December 12th & 13th several of our actors are performing in It's A Wonderful Life with the Marshall Area Stage Company.

From our production of The Walnut Grove Laura Ingalls Wilder production Daniel, who has more recently had the roles of Charles Ingalls and William Oleson. Julie has for many years had the role of Margaret Oleson in our production and Jennie who has had many roles over the years including Caroline Ingalls, Nellie Oleson and Mattie Masters to name a few.

Join them and the rest of the It's a Wonderful Life cast this weekend as they perform It's a Wonderful Life, a great Christmas classic. Details below:

12/08/2025

In "Laura Ingalls Wilder Pioneer Girl the Annotated Autobiography Pamela Smith Hill, editor" On page 131 Laura told of having a snowball fight with the boys at school.

This past week in Walnut Grove we have gotten quite a bit of snow. It is definitely looking like we will have a white Christmas this year. There is more than enough snow to have many snowball fights, build a snowman or go sledding and skiing.

What was your favorite winter activity as a child? Building a snowman was always great fun.

12/04/2025

The temperatures in Walnut Grove dipped below zero last night and still hasn't gone above 20 degrees. The weatherman says tonight the temperatures will raise and it will be a warmer day tomorrow. Thankful for our modern heat and not having to venture out today.

In pioneer times there was not furnaces or hot water boilers. The houses were also not insulated like we have today. When the weather turned cold on the prairie the people would stoke their fire in the fireplace or stove and huddle closer together with layers of clothes and blankets. To keep their fires burning was also a chore. They relied on what wood they could find, coal, twisted hay or grass and dried cow chips.

In our Walnut Grove Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant, we have several winter scenes complete with snow. We try to depict how harsh the Minnesota winters were and the reality of the dangers of those winters.

Below are some winter scenes from previous years:

12/02/2025

In the 2026 production of "Chasing the Dream", Act One Scene 6
"Patience Dear William". This scene shows us a bit about the Oleson family. William is helping Mr. Ensign fill his shopping list and Margaret is in a fit about a lost item. The Ingalls family also come into the store and Charles is wondering about the wheat crop and planting trees on his tree claim.

Bill Richard's notes in the script about the Ingalls claim: "1875 06 02 Tree Claim about 3 miles NE of Walnut Grove and relinquished it on 1878 03 01."

Below is a photo of our Oleson family from 2023 in the first showing of "Chasing the Dream" and the grove at the dugout site form the fall of 2023.

12/01/2025

Last night in the Walnut Grove City Park the Christmas lights were turned on for the first time this season.

It was a very cold evening for the crowd. Hot chocolate was provided by Half Pint Coffee and cookies from
Sweet Treats and More were enjoyed by those who were out braving the frigid weather. Santa was also around checking on his naughty/nice list and talking with the children.

Many children, who didn't seem bothered by the snow, were playing in the snow and on the playground equipment.

Below are some photos of the lights and one of Robyn Hansen, who made the cookies, with Santa.