While Laura Ingalls Wilder is best known as the author of the beloved Little House books—beginning with Little House in the Big Woods, published in 1932—her first published work actually appeared over two decades earlier, in 1911. Before becoming a household name in children’s literature, Laura had an active and successful career as a columnist and essayist, particularly in agricultural journalism.
Laura’s First Published Article: 1911
Laura Ingalls Wilder’s first known published work appeared in the February 18, 1911 edition of the Missouri Ruralist, a popular regional farming magazine that served the Midwest. The article was part of a special “Breeders Special” edition and was titled:
“Favors the Small Farm Home”
The lengthy subtitle of the piece reflected Wilder’s strong opinions on rural life and the benefits of modest, well-managed homesteads:
“It Lessens the Investment, Improves Country Social Conditions, Makes the Owner More Independent of Poor Help, Promotes Better Farming Methods and Reduces the Labor of Housekeeping.”
In this article, Laura advocated for the advantages of small-scale farming, not only for economic reasons but also for improving quality of life—particularly for farm wives who were often overburdened with domestic work. Her views were rooted in her own experiences living and working on Rocky Ridge Farm in Mansfield, Missouri.
She signed the article as “Mrs. A. J. Wilder,” using her husband Almanzo’s initials, which was common practice for women writers of the era. The article also included a photograph of the Wilder farmhouse, captioned:
“A ‘Handy Size’ Home That Gives the Housekeeper Half Her Time for Chickens and Outdoors.”
This was the beginning of what would become a 13-year career writing for the Missouri Ruralist.
Writing for the Missouri Ruralist
From 1911 to 1924, Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote dozens of articles for the Missouri Ruralist, including:
Personal essays
Opinion pieces on rural life, agriculture, and homemaking
Commentaries on social changes and women’s roles
Thoughtful reflections on self-sufficiency and modern conveniences
Her column, often titled “As a Farm Woman Thinks”, was widely read and respected. In these articles, Laura developed her authorial voice, honing the skills that would later bring her success as a children’s novelist. She wrote about topics such as:
The joys and hardships of farm life
Raising chickens and tending gardens
Electricity and modernization in rural areas
Women’s independence and education
Rural community and family values
These columns were praised for their clarity, warmth, and practicality, and they helped establish Laura as a recognized voice of rural American women in the early 20th century.
Transition to the Little House Series
Though her journalism career ended in the 1920s, Laura’s writing momentum didn’t stop. After encouragement from her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, a successful author and editor herself, Laura began working on a memoir of her pioneer childhood, titled Pioneer Girl. Though initially rejected by publishers, Pioneer Girl would become the foundation for the fictionalized Little House books, beginning with:
1932 – Little House in the Big Woods
Followed by eight more books in the main series, concluding with These Happy Golden Years (1943) and The First Four Years (published posthumously in 1971)
You can read Laura’s Missouri Ruralist articles in Laura Ingalls Wilder, Farm Journalist.
