Little House on the Prairie author Laura Ingalls Wilder and her husband, Almanzo Wilder, would have marked their 140th wedding anniversary on Monday, August 25.
Laura and Almanzo began courting when they were 16 and 23, respectively. After nearly three years, the couple tied the knot on Aug. 25, 1885, at the Reverend Edward Brown’s home in De Smet, South Dakota, and settled on Almanzo’s claim to farm. In December 1886, the pair welcomed their daughter, Rose. Laura documented the early years of their marriage in her book, The First Four Years.
Laura and Almanzo were married for 64 years until his death in October 1949 at age 90. Laura lived nearly eight more years than Almanzo before she died in February 1957 at age 90.
After her death, Laura’s autobiographical book series was adapted into the beloved TV show Little House on the Prairie, with Melissa Gilbertportraying Laura for nine seasons from 1974 to 1983. Dean Butler joined the NBC series as Almanzo during season 6 in 1979. Laura and Almanzo’s fictional wedding took place during the season 7 premiere titled “Laura Ingalls Wilder.”
In a 2020 interview with Parade, Gilbert, now 61, reflected on her first experience with Laura’s books.
“It was a school assignment,” she recalled. “I read Little House in the Big Woods with my mom because it had been one of her favorite books growing up.”
Laura’s writing left an impression on Gilbert before she realized the overall impact the series would have on her life.
“I thought Laura was incredibly fun, spunky, spirited; she actually reminded me a lot of myself at that time,” Gilbert said of her initial reaction to the book. “But the way she wrote her descriptions of life — food, games, sights and sounds and the world around her — was so vivid. I could see myself there, and it really got my imagination stirred up.”
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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