Laura Ingalls Wilders comes to Lake Mills Public Library

The Lake Mills Library is hosting a very special event. Kirkwood Community College Reference Librarian and historical interpreter, Sarah S. Uthoff, will be presenting a program on famous author and pioneer, Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Uthoff is a respected authority on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life. She is a much in demand Humanities Iowa speaker and also has spoken at several of the places Laura lived. She has been a regular speaker at Laura Ingalls Wilder Remembered at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch, and continues as the keynote speaker at Laura Days at Laura’s birthplace in Pepin, Wis.
Uthoff’s interest in Wilder began before she can remember, and before anyone knew what was happening, she was “playing Laura,” visiting the Laura sites, and learning how to do the things Laura did around her family farm. In the words of one cousin, “Laura took over her life and everybody else’s who knew her.” When Sarah grew up, she got her degree in history education, got actively involved with living history and historic foodways, and began to research the history around Laura Ingalls Wilder. Her latest project is searching out copies of letters written by Wilder to fans, and press about it has appeared in many publications. To learn more about Uthoff, Wilder, or the quest for letters, visit http://www.trundlebedtales.com.
Uthoff will be presenting “Packing Up: The Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder.” Come be transported back in time to 1894. Life hasn’t been easy for pioneer Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family. Since she married her Manly, they’ve tried to farm in South Dakota, Minnesota, and even Florida, but they’ve met problem after problem. Now having saved up a stake to start again in the land of the big red apple, Mansfield, Mo., Laura is packing up to leave De Smet for the last time. Each artifact in the old trunk holds a story and Laura will share them with you.
After the program, you can ask Uthoff those pressing Laura questions that you’ve always wanted to know.
The show will be great for both chldren and adults, and both are invited to wear period clothing. Everyone will enjoy the show more if they’ve read at least one of Wilder’s books.
Come join us at the Lake Mills Public Library, Wednesday, April 3, at 5:30 p.m. The program is free and open to the public.
The library has received funding from Humanities Iowa, a private, non-profit state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities to host this presentation. A cultural resource for Iowans since 1971, Humanities Iowa offers many cultural and historical programs and grants to Iowa’s communities.
Questions? Call the Lake Mills Public Library at 641-592-0092 or email librarydirector@wctatel.net.