• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • News
  • General Store
  • Little House on the Prairie Books
    • Little House in the Big Woods
    • Farmer Boy
    • Little House on the Prairie
    • On the Banks of Plum Creek
    • By the Shores of Silver Lake
    • The Long Winter
    • Little Town on the Prairie
    • These Happy Golden Years
    • The First Four Years
    • On the Way Home
    • West From Home
    • Boxed Sets & Special Editions
  • Other Little House Books
    • Little House Chapter Books
  • Other Series
    • The Martha Years – Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Great Grandmother
    • The Charlotte Years – Laura’s Grandmother
    • The Caroline Years – Little House Series about Laura’s Mother
    • The Rose Years – Books About Laura’s Daughter
  • Teachers & Homeschool Printables
    • Little House in the Big Woods
    • Farmer Boy
    • Little House on the Prairie
    • On the Banks of Plum Creek
    • By the Shores of Silver Lake
    • The Long Winter
    • Little Town on the Prairie
    • These Happy Golden Years
    • The First Four Years
    • Entire Series Worksheets
    • Unit Studies For Homeschoolers & Teachers
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Music
  • Crafts & Activities
  • Recipes
  • Research
  • Family & Friends
  • TV Series
    • Frequently Asked Questions About Little House on the Prairie TV Series
  • Historical Sites
    • Pepin, Wisconsin
    • Rothville, Missouri
    • Independence, Kansas
    • Walnut Grove, Minnesota
    • Burr Oak, Iowa
    • De Smet, South Dakota
    • Vinton, Iowa
    • Spring Valley, Minnesota
    • Westville, Florida
    • Mansfield, Missouri
    • Malone, New York
    • Cuba, New York
    • Keystone, South Dakota
    • Pomona, California

Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House on the Prairie Definitive Guide

Laura Ingalls Wilder & the Little House Books

Home » Frequently Asked Questions About Laura Ingalls Wilder & Little House Books » Did Laura Ingalls Wilder really live in a dugout in Walnut Grove?

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

In the book On the Banks of Plum Creek, Laura tells about her family living in a small dugout on Plum Creek, a very unusual housing option for readers where dugout today has a baseball meaning, not a housing meaning. The dugout was dug into the side of the hill, and you could walk right over the roof, as was told in the story when the ox went right through the roof. 

But did Laura and her family really live in a dugout? Or was this just added to the book?

Yes, the Ingalls family really did live in a dugout.  It was much is described in the books, although it might be a lot bigger than many might have imagined. It was noted that it was actually 8’ high. They only lived in it for as long as it took for them to get settled and then build a new house, a practice that was more common back in those days.

The original dugout the family lived in when they first arrived at their land on Plum Creek no longer exists. However, there is a replica dugout that can be visited today in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, near where the original dugout was located.

Share your love of Little House

Related Posts:

  • Did the Ingalls family really live in Walnut Grove?
    Did the Ingalls family really live in Walnut Grove?
  • How far from Walnut Grove did the Ingalls live?
    How far from Walnut Grove did the Ingalls live?
  • Was Walnut Grove Really Blown Up During Filming Little House on the Prairie?
    Was Walnut Grove Really Blown Up During Filming Little House…
  • Why did the Ingalls Family Leave Walnut Grove for Winoka?
    Why did the Ingalls Family Leave Walnut Grove for Winoka?
  • Walnut Grove, Minnesota Home of Laura Ingalls Wilder
    Walnut Grove, Minnesota Home of Laura Ingalls Wilder
  • When did Laura Ingalls Wilder live in De Smet?
    When did Laura Ingalls Wilder live in De Smet?

Primary Sidebar

General Store

  • Biographies, Research, Letters & Articles (32)
  • Collectibles (23)
  • Collector Books & Boxed Sets (10)
  • Cookbooks (5)
  • Crafts (6)
  • Dolls (21)
  • Home Decor (2)
  • Homeschool Resources (22)
  • Laura Ingalls Wilder Quilting Patterns & Fabric (18)
  • Little House Book Series (1)
  • Little House on the Prairie TV Series (19)
  • Other Pioneer Books (19)
  • Pioneer Clothing for Cosplay, Reenactments, Dressing Up & Costumes (126)
  • Pioneer Food (11)
  • Pioneer Living (8)
  • Related Little House Book Series (5)
  • Sewing Patterns (15)

Free Little House in the Big Woods Unit Study

… Our free exclusive unit study for Little House in the Big Woods with 32 worksheets plus additional activities, recipes, songs and more. about Free Little House in the Big Woods Unit Study

Sew Little House Costumes

… Patterns for making pioneer dresses, bonnets, aprons and mores for women & girls about Sewing Little House on the Prairie Pioneer Costumes

Little House Collector’s Editions

… Discover special editions and boxed sets of the Little House Books about Boxed Sets & Special Editions of the Little House Books

Some of our posts contain affiliate links and we will receive an affiliate commission for purchases. This is a great way to support what we do and see more great content!

Copyright © 2023 · Lifestyle Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Visit our new General Store for books about Laura and pioneer life, along with DVDs, pioneer food, sewing and quilting. Dismiss