Ingalls Cottonwoods

"They're cottonwoods," Pa said. "They all grew from seeds of the Lone Tree we saw across the prairie when we were coming out of Brookins....We'll make a square windbreak, all around the house. Ma's tree and mine by the door, and a tree for each of you girls on each side of ours."-Chapter 29, By the Shores of Silver Lake


Today M., W. and I travelled to De Smet with our friends Beth and Emily S. They are our oldest home school friends. We went to the Ingalls homestead and enjoyed the "living history" that is set up there. Before we got there, we stopped in Brookin(g)s for a bathroom break and indulged in Slurpees. (below)

We picnicked under some of the oldest cottonwoods on the property before touring the exhibits. Charles Ingalls planted thousands of cottonwoods in the DeSmet area.





It was fun to think we were climbing the same trees and walking in the same "steps" as Laura Ingalls Wilder did all those years ago.

We found frogs and examined milkweed plants.