Survey Results

Not surprisingly, the majority of our readers would like to see Dean Butler play a part in Little House on the Prairie: The Musical. Twenty percent, however, only wanted him to be part of the production if his performance would be close enough for them to see the show. But when 7% of our readers responded "Dean who?" I really began to get worried. Out of all the cast members I talk about Dean the most, so where have these people been hiding all this time. LOL!

I've been away for a couple of weeks, but Dean, the actor who portrayed Almanzo Wilder on Little House on the Prairie for those 7% who don't know, was in Green Bay recently, along with Laura Ingalls Wilder biographer William Anderson to celebrate Laura Ingalls Wilder Day at Heritage Hill State Historical Park. Beth Ingalls-Leisses, one of Charles Ingalls's relatives, and a friend of mine, met Dean and Bill while they were there.

I want to thank my friend Lorrie for thinking of me while she spent time rubbing elbows with Dean and Bill. This week's mail brought me an autographed copy of William Anderson's The Story of the Ingalls and autographed greettings from Dean. I am extremely happy!

Look for a new survey coming soon!

Laura Ingalls Wilder Relative Featured in Beaver Dam Newspaper

The Beaver Dam, Wisconsin Daily Citizen interviewed a relative of Laura Ingalls Wilder for a recent edition of their daily paper. If you click on this link you'll get to read about Beth Ingalls-Leisses, the great-granddaughter of Hiriam Ingalls, Charles Ingalls's brother.

I've had the great pleasure of getting to know Beth over the past few years and I can tell you she is one special lady who has contributed a great deal to keeping Laura's legacy alive.

Relative of Laura Ingalls Wilder Keeps Legacy Alive

Follow this link to read an article and view photos from Beth Ingalls-Leisses's trip to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Branson, Missouri. Beth toured some of the Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead sites this summer with a group of Laura Ingalls Wilder enthusiasts.

Relative Keeps Laura Ingalls Wilder's Legacy Alive

It’s been many years since Laura Ingalls Wilder penned her now famous Little House series. Wilder’s contribution to the world of children’s literature is still celebrated today through pageants, plays, and musicals; and the popular 1970’s show Little House on the Prairie, based upon Wilder’s books, can still be seen in reruns, often multiple times a day.

One of the famous author’s relatives does her part in keeping Wilder’s legacy alive through presentations about the life and times of the Ingalls family.

Beth Ingalls-Leisses is the great granddaughter of Hiram Ingalls, who was Charles (Pa) Ingalls’ brother.

In April of this year, Beth visited a group of fourth- and fifth-grade students at Lincoln Elementary in Hartford, Wisconsin to share some of the stories her grandfather had told about her famous relative. And again in May, Beth traveled to the Trenton School in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin to share with second- and third-grade students her Ingalls Family Travels presentation. The presentation covers the history of the Ingalls family and the travels and hardships they endured in Pepin, Wisconsin in the late 1800’s and follows through Laura’s life until her death.



For Beth Ingalls-Leisses, visiting schools and other organizations to talk about the Ingalls family is her way of showing her affection for Wilder and her books and a way to keep the family story alive through a direct approach.



I recently asked Beth what she would say to the author if she could travel back in time and meet Wilder, she said, “Laura, you are the most beautiful person I know. You are loving and loyal to your friends and family, unselfish in the sharing of your life through your books, idealistic and independent and my kind of lady. I am so proud to be a part of the Ingalls family and I thank you for letting me share your life with others.”