The real Ingalls girls (1874): From the left: Carrie, Mary and Laura.

    by Make_the_music_stop

    16 Comments

    1. I think Carrie looks quite pretty.

      RL Carrie was always considered small and frail, and Laura described in her books that the Hard Winter of 1880-81 affected Carrie the most.

    2. Read “Prairie Fires”, it’s an account of Laura’s and her daughter Rose’s lives and it’s honestly really fascinating. Made me want to re-read all the “Little House” books again. They hit differently as an adult.

    3. Revolutionary_Low581 on

      This is the first picture of Laura I have seen that matches how my imagination pictured her as I read

    4. I read that Mary lost her eye sight in 1879 at 14 years of age. I wonder if that date on this photo is accurate as Mary looks to be about 14 on this picture.

    5. Opening-Rub5051 on

      Melissa Gilbert actually resembles the real Laura on some ways….not a twin or nothing but still a resemblance

    6. Laura was so pretty! Also looking looking like Nellie would’nt stand a chance in a fight with her. That cast was so great. They all were family. I havent read all the books yet sadly. I definetly need to.

    7. I recently reread the books, and as an adult, there’s a lot to read between the lines – Ma/Caroline repeatedly sacrificing her dreams for Pa/Charles’ wanderlust, Pa’s string of failed schemes and his resistance to steady employment until the 5th book, the farmer’s wife suffering from became known as “prairie madness”…

      Was Baby Grace not born yet at the time of this picture I wonder?

      Edit: i just looked it up, Grace was born in 1877. In 1875, the year after this picture, Charles and Caroline had Freddie who passed at 9 months.

      I think I need to read Pioneer Girl and Prairie Fires now

    8. weinthenolababy on

      I love seeing old pictures like this because it reminds me how much we *haven’t* changed. Change the clothes and hairstyles a little bit and I can easily picture this as a group of sisters in 2026.

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