Pepin Wisconsin

Pepin Wisconsin is the birth place of Laura Ingalls Wilder, one of the best know authors of childrens books. In September 1863, Charles bought a farm that was located seven miles from the town of Pepin Wisconsin, near the Minnesota border. It was here that Mary Amelia, the first child born to Charles and Caroline Ingalls was born on January 10, 1865. Laura Elizabeth, the couples second child was born on February 7, 1867. Both Laura and Mary were born in a small 3 room cabin in the middle of the the big woods seven miles North of the town of Pepin Wisconsin. This is the house that has become to be known as "The Little House in the Big Woods". The Ingalls called this cozy cabin their home on two different occations. They left the big woods in 1868 headed for "Indian Country" today known as Kansas and Oklahoma. Then in 1871 the moved back to the big woods after the buyer of the log cabin defaulted on his payments and the land reverted back to Pa. While in Pepin, Charles made a living through farming, hunting, and trading, but he was never too busy to play his violin for his family. This was a favorite past time of Laura and her sisters. The book The Little House in the Big Woods is based on the second time they lived in Pepin.

Today a replica of the log cabin stands on the exact spot of the original house. Unfortunately the original cabin had vanished by the 1920's. However, a shallow place in the land and some foundation stones were still evident as tell tale signs of where the cabin originally stood. In 1974, 3 acres of land was donated to develop a historic site of the birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The historic site was developed by the Laura Ingalls Wilder Society. This society was formed in 1974. Visitors to the site are welcome to walk into the cabin and imagine for themselves what it would have been like to live in such a cabin. The picture on the right shows the fireplace inside the cabin. The road from the cabin to Pepin is the same path that Charles would walk when he went to Pepin. Also available on the site are picnic tables and restroom facilities.

In the local cemetary, which is approximately 6 miles from the cabin on your way into Pepin, Laura's aunt Martha Quinn Carpenter and uncle Charlie Carpenter are buried. Also in this same cemetary is Anna Berry, Laura's first schoolteacher. Ms. Berry taught at the Berry Corner School that was 1/2 mile south of the cabin site. Ms. Berry's grave site is honored in the local cemetary with a plaque, placed there by the Teachers Association.

In the town of Pepin there is a museum dedicated to Laura Ingalls Wilder. Inside you will find many artifacts similar to those that Laura herself would have used. Some were actually used by Laura herself. The museum is located on the main highway in Pepin.