Many of the storylines on Little House on the Prairie involved the prickly relationship between Laura Ingalls and her spoiled, bratty nemesis Nellie Oleson. The town that serves as the backdrop for the Ingalls family adventures is a real place. The Ingalls family then settled in Plum Creek of Walnut Grove, Minnesota. The two towns lie east of San Francisco and about midway between Sacramento and Stockton, in the northern third of the great central valley that is made up of the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys. Here are two ways I've seen the story repeated over the years: Did Michael Landon really burn down the Little House on the Prairie sets after the series wrapped so hed never have to do a reunion movie/series? But it was no stranger to controversy in the time when it aired. A group of important people from the neighboring towns is stunned by what they see, and they sour on Lassiter, claiming that if this is what he plans to do in their communities, they'll also give him the same treatment by demolishing them. That was the original reason. Both families were struggling financially in Walnut Grove, and they hoped their lives would be more successful in Winoka. Glendale, California, U.S. Katherine Scottie MacGregor (born Dorlee Deane McGregor; January 12, 1925 November 14, 2018) was an American actress, best known for her role as Harriet Oleson in Little House on the Prairie. When the TV show Little House on the Prairie first debuted as a pilot film in early 1974, it remained to be seen whether audiences would warm to the story line of a pioneer family eking out a living from the land. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. This time they were bound for Minnesota. Laura and Almanzo move into the huge house of a . When youve got a great physique, why not show it off? concluded in 1982, Melissa Gilbert (Laura) and Michael Landon (Charles) didnt speak to each other for nine years. The wide-open space and rural backdrop made it ideal for filming the late 19th-century pioneer drama. The Ingalls' house was not blown up in the process, but it actually burned down in 2003 when it got swept up in a wildfire. Due to economic problems, the Ingalls, Olesons and Garveys leave Walnut Grove and settle in Winoka for a time. Luckily, nervousness wasnt a factor for this next pair. The 1870s were exciting times. For many American students, it was practically required read one or two of the books in the Little House series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder.Published from 1932 to 1943, according to Politico, the series included entries like Little House on the Prairie.That title was borrowed for the immensely successful 1970s television series starring Michael Landon as Charles "Pa" Ingalls. Laura is portrayed in this book as being from being seven to nine years old. Farewell, Little House on the Prairie Farewell. It was also a nice catharsis for the cast and crew. Hence the idea of blowing up the town was born. It was named for a grove of black walnut trees near the original town site. TV Legends Revealed | Why Did Michael Landon Blow Up the 'Little House' Sets? Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Nathan Lassiter arrives with a calvary unit to find Walnut Grove in ruins, and furiously demands that the citizens be arrested. The plots of some of the later episodes began to run off the rails (seriously, Mr. Edwards adopts an orangutan?). The teacher, Etta Plum was played by Leslie Landon, Michael Landons daughter. In 1869, the Ingalls family moved to this location, 12 miles southwest of Independence, Kansas. I'll never understand why they chose to have everyone of Walnut Grove forced off their land and to blow up the whole town the way they did. The episode aired on October 16, 1978, eight days after Swensons death. $750 - $880. Walnut Grove is the home of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, dedicated to the author of the Little House on the Prairie books. Where is Laura Ingalls Wilders dugout home in Walnut Grove? In gentlemanly fashion, Dean Butler commended his costar for her bravery in completing the scene, and added that as nervous as she was, she was not nearly as upset as her mother who sobbed hysterically as the scene was filmed. And yes, the buildings were blown up during filming, it wasn't CGI or special effects. Refusing to answer to Lassiter, Almanzo demands the man leave, but Lassiter knuckles down and demands the Wilders leave their home. Maybe the heat is to blame for this next actors wardrobe choices, Despite the sweet, sisterly relationship between the pair that was portrayed on the show, Melissa Gilbert (Laura) and Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary) had a tense rapport on set. NBC executives approached him with the idea of producing a. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. They did do several run-throughs prior to blowing them up, to ensure none of the cast or crew could be injured when filming was happening. It would get hot. As the entire community gathers for one very sad and final sendoff of Walnut Grove, Reverend Alden gives a farewell eulogy to the town and in a very quiet atmosphere of lamentation, Mr. Edwards, Dr. Baker, Nels and Willie slam down the plungers that gradually strip away more and more of Walnut Grove's scenery from the landscape, reducing nearly everything to a mountain of rubble. The community of Walnut Grove began in 1870. That being said, some of the sillier episodes sure are a lot of fun. 4 4. A bit cruel perhaps, but it made for a convincing performance. One feature, in particular, seemed to bug Michael Landon about himself: his height. Where is Plum Creek in Little House on the Prairie? Another name formerly associated with the area is Walnut Station. Poor Nellie, having to wear that hot wig along with the heavy clothing designed to fit the time period. You may be surprised to learn that behind the scenes, Melissa Gilbert (Laura) and Alison Arngrim (Nellie) were close friends. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Its name came from the beautiful grove of walnut trees along the banks of Plum Creek. Laura and Almanzo adopt Almanzo's niece, Jenny, following the death of his brother, Royal Wilder. Karl Swenson, the actor who played the towns founder Lars Hanson, died of a heart attack eight days before this episode aired. Plum Creek. As he told The New York Times, he never expected Little House to last that long. 3 Where was Harriet Oleson in the last episode? Later, she spent an afternoon with him in his Malibu home. Despite her playing Mary Ingalls, who became blind in later seasons of the TV show, she was not blind in real life, as is shown in the earlier episodes of the television show where the character of Mary is clearly sighted. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. So it was in our initial agreement that we put the land back to its original state--thus filling in the areas where we had the stream and the town, and the stream by the little house, and taking the buildings down. It didnt seem to matter that Steve Tracy was gay, he and Alison Arngrim reportedly delighted in embarrassing poor Melissa Gilbert with their over-the-top acts of PDA. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The community of Walnut Grove began in 1870. The 2021 lineup features contemporary country . But Katherine McGregor (the person who plays her) was on a pilgrimage for India. Youll also notice these injuries hardly ever required him to wear a sling that might cover part of his chest. Our free exclusive unit study for Little House in the Big Woods with 32 worksheets plus additional activities, recipes, songs and more. Walnut Grove is a city in Redwood County, Minnesota, United States. Theres a reason why networks usually only show reruns of the first seven seasons. Man arrested in shooting death of mother. It was here that Laura met the snobby and cruel Nellie Owens. It concludes with perhaps the most apocalyptic valedictory to any television series in history: the townspeople of the fictional hamlet Walnut Grove decide to blow their town to smithereens. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Seven years later, Sean Penns career would begin to take off when he played a cadet in the film Taps. In an effort to keep the peace, the government sent soldiers in February 1870, although settlers were not required to move. I always like to describe the cast of Little House as No arrests. The first village officials were: Elias Bedal, president; T. Walnut Grove was platted in 1874. 1 1. Thanks to Kent McCrary and PrairieFans.com for the information! Pa raised a wonderful wheat crop, and the family felt that surely this was the end of their troubles. Walnut Grove is the site of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, [8] dedicated to the author of the Little House on the Prairie books. He tolerated no drama. Why was Walnut Grove blown up in Little House on the Prairie? The primary reason Michael Landon blew up the town was because he was mad they canceled the show and did not want anybody to use his set. Feel free (heck, I implore you!) Enter a Melbet promo code and get a generous bonus, An Insight into Coupons and a Secret Bonus, Organic Hacks to Tweak Audio Recording for Videos Production, Bring Back Life to Your Graphic Images- Used Best Graphic Design Software, New Google Update and Future of Interstitial Ads. My e-mail address is bcronin@legendsrevealed.com. Its a problem that plagues almost every show that is lucky enough to last a long time: As time goes on, writers struggle to keep things interesting. Despite Reverend Alden's desire to uphold peace and the Christian way, it isn't long before the rumblings of hostility erupt between Lassiter's men, who arrive to assume control over the land and force out any non-compliant people. Case fatality rates ranged from 15% to 30%. Fond Memories. Why not write the explosions into the show? Local singer ventures to Nashville to record songs. Caroline married Charles Ingalls and, drawn on by his efforts to make a . Not only was the romance awkward for the pair who were eight years apart, but it was also especially uncomfortable for the young actress who had to have her first kiss filmed for an audience of millions. Hence, they killed two birds with one stone, ended the show, and fulfilled their landowners' promise. Why did Caroline and Charles leave Walnut Grove? The family returned to Walnut Grove in 1878. De Smet, South Dakota is the Little Town on the Prairie, and some of the buildings mentioned in Wilders stories are still standing, including The Surveyors house. Some episodes dealt with dark topics like poverty, abuse, kidnapping, and racism all issues you wouldnt necessarily expect to find in a predominantly optimistic show popular with children. Ingalls Homestead. Landon liked to keep things interesting on set. Meanwhile, as the group bids the last farewell to their old and buried home, they all go past another famous house, which still stands. Did Laura Ingalls Wilder really live in a dugout in Walnut, Did Laura Ingalls and Pa really twist hay to burn during The, Did Almanzo Wilder & Cap Garland really go get wheat during, The Richest Man in Walnut Grove - Little House on the, The Pride of Walnut Grove - Little House on the Prairie TV, about Free Little House in the Big Woods Unit Study, about Sewing Little House on the Prairie Pioneer Costumes, about Boxed Sets & Special Editions of the Little House Books, Biographies, Research, Letters & Articles, Laura Ingalls Wilder Quilting Patterns & Fabric, Pioneer Clothing for Cosplay, Reenactments, Dressing Up & Costumes. Poof, ten years of memories were gone. It does not store any personal data. Between Michael Landons constant pranks and Alison Arngrim and Melissa Gilberts mischief, it seems like the whole crew had to keep their heads on a swivel or end up the butt of one of their jokes. Charles and Caroline Ingalls have enjoyed success in the city for quite a while now. 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