Did Laura Ingalls Wilder really live in a dugout in Walnut Grove?

In On the Banks of Plum Creek, Laura Ingalls Wilder vividly describes her family’s life in a small dugout home on the banks of Plum Creek in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. For many readers, the concept of a dugout as a living space is unusual, as the term “dugout” today is more commonly associated with baseball than with housing. In the book, Laura explains how the dugout was built into the side of a hill, with its roof level with the ground, so much so that someone could walk right over it without realizing it was there—illustrated memorably when an ox falls through the roof into the house below.

But did the Ingalls family really live in a dugout, or was this just a creative addition to the story?

Yes, the Ingalls family did indeed live in a dugout on the banks of Plum Creek, just as Laura described in her book. The dugout was a practical and common form of temporary housing for settlers on the American frontier. These homes were relatively quick to build and provided shelter while more permanent structures were constructed. The Ingalls family used the dugout as their home during the early days of their settlement in Walnut Grove, before moving into a more traditional house that Pa, Charles Ingalls, later built.

The dugout described in On the Banks of Plum Creek is quite accurate in its depiction, though it might have been larger than some readers imagine. It is noted that the dugout was actually about 8 feet high, providing enough space for the family to live relatively comfortably given the circumstances. While the dugout was small and simple, it was sturdy and served its purpose well during the period the Ingalls family lived there.

However, the original dugout that the Ingalls family lived in no longer exists. Over time, natural erosion and the passage of years have worn away the remains of the original structure. Despite this, the legacy of the dugout lives on in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, where visitors can explore a replica of the dugout built near the site where the original one once stood. This replica gives visitors a tangible sense of what life was like for the Ingalls family during their early days in Walnut Grove.

The experience of living in a dugout was not unique to the Ingalls family; many pioneer families on the frontier relied on similar structures as they established their homesteads. These dugouts were typically temporary but vital shelters that protected families from the elements while they worked to build more permanent homes.

The dugout in On the Banks of Plum Creek is an iconic part of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s storytelling, capturing the resourcefulness and resilience of her family as they adapted to the challenges of pioneer life. The book’s detailed and engaging descriptions of the dugout help readers to imagine the realities of life on the frontier, where even the simplest of shelters could provide a sense of security and home.

For those interested in the historical accuracy of the Little House series, the story of the dugout in Walnut Grove is a true reflection of Laura’s childhood experiences. Visitors to Walnut Grove can still feel a connection to Laura and her family by visiting the replica dugout, a symbol of the perseverance and ingenuity that defined the pioneer spirit.