This 40-acre site, also called the Rocky Ridge Farm, was the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder from 1896 until her death in 1957, and the place where she wrote her beloved “Little House” books by hand on paper tablets, based on her earlier life experiences. As a fan of the TV series based on Ingalls, this was a place I’ve wanted to visit for some time and was glad I finally got there. The site preserves two homes; the Historic Farmhouse, built mostly by Laura’s husband Almanzo with help from local carpenters, and The Rock House built nearby by the Ingalls’ only daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, as a gift to her parents, who lived there from 1928 to 1936. There’s also a museum, which claims to have the most comprehensive Ingalls and Wilder family collections in the world. You can see Pa’s fiddle, handwritten manuscripts for the “Little House” books, keepsakes from the Ingalls and Wilder families, tools and articles made by Almanzo, needlework by Laura and many other items familiar from the books. Given the popularity of the 1970s TV show, I was surprised to learn this site wasn’t was designated as a National Historic Landmark until 1991. To visit the houses, you have to take a guided tour which involves parking near the museum and walking probably a quarter mile to the farmhouse, and then either walking or driving to The Rock House. The museum and tour was informative and interesting, but I was disappointed they don’t allow any photos in the homes.