De Smet in the Present

De Smet in the Present

De Smet has a strong historical society involved in the running of the museum and keeping of all the artifacts. The original Surveyor’s House still stands, and the Ingalls family’s house in town, built after Laura left home. Both houses are open for guided tours, and are filled with artifacts from the Ingalls and the Wilder families. There is also a room dedicated to Laura’s daughter, Rose Wilder Lane.

You can visit the Twin Lakes Thompson and Henry that Almanzo and Laura often went driving by, as well as Spirit Lake. There is also a Depot museum, and the hilltop cemetery where many members of Laura’s family are buried, along with many of the residents mentioned in the books.

The original Loftus Store is still in De Smet as well, and visitors can purchase small souvenir suspenders, and bags of wheat.