Preserve Laura's Legacy!

Immediate Needs

(Estimated costs shown below are approximate and may shift as assessments continue.)

• Foundation repair for the Surveyor’s House — approx. $7,500
• Long‑term protective measures for the Surveyor’s House — preliminary planning underway
• Educational supplies for school field trips and summer programs — approx. $1,500
• Humidity‑control      improvements for artifacts in the Surveyor’s House — approx. $15,000
• New carpeting for offices, exhibit areas, and the gift shop — approx. $5,000
• New furnace for the gift shop — approx. $6,000
• Siding, door, and window repairs to the Ingalls Home — funded
• Exterior painting of the Ingalls Home — approx. $10,000
• Updated lighting in the museum exhibit to improve artifact protection — approx. $5,000
• Snow blower for winter operations — approx. $1,000
• Campus Preservation & Museum Expansion (Planning Phase): Your early support helps launch the architectural and engineering studies needed to protect our historic buildings. Experts have shown that these treasured structures will eventually require a more stable, protective setting to endure. This planning phase lays the groundwork for responsible preservation and opens the door to richer exhibits, programs, and visitor experiences in the years ahead.

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society is a small, community‑rooted 501(c)(3) nonprofit entrusted with preserving three original Ingalls‑era buildings: the Surveyor’s House, the First School of De Smet, and the Ingalls Home on Third Street. These structures have weathered more than a century of prairie winters, and caring for them requires specialized preservation work, steady attention, and a deep respect for the history they hold. Protecting buildings of this age is both our greatest responsibility and one of our greatest honors.

Because we are a locally supported museum, the long‑term care of these historic treasures relies on the visitors we welcome, the little shop we operate, and the generosity of people who believe Laura’s real story deserves thoughtful, authentic stewardship. Each building presents its own challenges—from aging foundations and shifting soils to environmental controls needed to protect original materials and artifacts. These are not one‑time fixes but ongoing commitments that ensure these spaces remain safe, stable, and true to their 19th‑century character.

With several major preservation projects ahead, guided in part by recommendations from a recent CAP grant, we are preparing for the work necessary to keep these buildings standing strong for generations. Your tax‑deductible gift directly supports this mission, helping us safeguard irreplaceable pieces of American history and ensuring that future visitors can continue to walk through the real places Laura once knew.

Keeping the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society running each day is a full, hands‑on effort supported by a small team and a community of generous friends. As a nonprofit dedicated to sharing Laura’s story, our daily operations rely on steady support to cover the essential pieces that make every visit meaningful and genuinely memorable for our guests. These gifts help sustain the staff who welcome guests and lead tours, keep the lights on and the buildings comfortable, and ensure our grounds and facilities remain safe and well cared for throughout the year.

Operational support also fuels the programs that bring history to life—school field trips, new exhibits, hands‑on activities, and special events like A Day with Laura. These experiences require planning, materials, and time, and they are at the heart of how we connect visitors of all ages to the Ingalls family’s real story in meaningful, lasting ways.

Contributions to general operations strengthen the foundation that allows everything else to happen. As a charitable organization recognized under section 501(c)(3), gifts to the Society qualify as tax‑deductible, helping your generosity go even further. Your support ensures that this small museum can continue welcoming visitors, inspiring students, and caring for the historic spaces entrusted to us with dedication and pride.