Mansfield, Missouri: The Home of Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura Ingalls Wilder is famous for her Little House on the Prairie books. Wilder’s childhood was spent living in various parts of the Midwest, but she lived most of her adult life in Mansfield, Missouri. She and her husband Almanzo moved to Mansfield in 1894, purchasing a parcel of land they called Rocky Ridge Farm. They both lived the rest of their days there, with Almanzo passing away in 1949 and Laura following in 1957 at the age of 90.
After her death, Rocky Ridge Farm was passed on to a nonprofit organization, which operated the land ever since. Today, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum is the main attraction in Mansfield, although there are a few other points of interest worth noting, too.
Getting There
Mansfield, Missouri, is located in the southern part of the state, south of Lebanon and east of Springfield. If you’re coming from St. Louis, the fastest and easiest route will take you along Interstate 44 until you get to Rolla, then along U.S. 63 south until you get to U.S. 60, which runs straight into Mansfield. The Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum (Google Maps link) sits on the southwest side of Mansfield. Mansfield is a small town, so getting around is not difficult most days.
It takes roughly 3 to 3 1/2 hours by car to get to Mansfield from St. Louis. While you might be able to make a day trip out of it, some people might also prefer to stay the night to take everything in. If you have an RV or tent, you can stay just across the street from the Home and Museum at the Laura Ingalls Wilder RV Park, which offers both electrical and full sites.
When we visited, we stayed at the Weaver Inn BnB, a delightful spot along the town square just a mile away from the Home and Museum.
The Weaver Inn has various rooms themed around Laura and her family, including spaces for as few as two and as many as five. We stayed in the Rose Room.
Breakfast is included.
Parking
The Home and Museum is a fairly expansive property, and it has plenty of parking throughout the property. Parking is free.
Costs and Considerations
The Home and Museum are open from March to mid-November. Monday through Saturday hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., while Sunday the hours are 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. As of 2025, the price for admission is $18 for adults and $8 for children 6 to 17. Children 5 and under are free.
Things to Do
There’s a lot to see at the Home and Museum. The visitor’s center includes a large gift shop, extensive artifacts, and a ton of information about Laura, her life, and the lives of her family members, including her daughter Rose.
There are other various buildings spread across the property, including the the Farmhouse and Rock House, both of them integral to Laura’s life. You can go inside the Farmhouse and Rock House, which are furnished with all manner of family items.
Outside of the House and Museum, the other major attraction in Mansfield is the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company, located about 10 minutes (6 miles) north of town (Google Maps link). The Seed Company is in fact a working farm with vintage town, and includes animals, gardens, and a large gift shop that sells all kinds of seeds.
Our Thoughts
We first decided to visit Mansfield because one of our family members grew up on the Little House books. Our whole family enjoyed the trip, from the tour of Rocky Ridge Farm to the stroll down the streets of Baker Creek. (We also ate at Vaccaro’s Pizza, one of the best restaurants in town.) If you’re looking for a regional trip that has some history in it, Mansfield is a great option … especially if you like Little House on the Prairie.
