Little House on the Prairieis set on a scenic farm near the lovely little town of Walnut Grove, Minnesota, but fans may be surprised to learn that the series was not actually filmed there. Thelife-lesson-filledLittle House on the Prairiedelighted viewers young and old for the nine seasons it aired. With its charming cast of characters, relatable storylines that could easily be transposed over a modern world, and its commitment to making sure the story remained engrossing,Little House on the Prairiehas enduredlong past its final episode.
Another piece of the success ofLittle House on the Prairiecomes from its setting. The Ingalls family lives on a picturesque farm on Plum Creek, which is only a short trip away from the larger town of Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Both locations are gorgeous, memorable settings that the audience came to know intimately. With its rolling hills, dusty roads, and inviting homes, it felt like a real place that a tired traveler could wander into and be at peace. It may come as a surprise then thatLittle House on the Prairiewasn’t filmed at the real Walnut Grove.
Little House On The Prairie Was Mostly Filmed In Simi Valley, California
Big Sky Movie Ranch Has Been Used In Numerous Movies
Little House on the Prairiewas actually filmed far from Minnesota, in California; specifically, at Big Sky Movie Ranch in Simi Valley. Nearlyall the exteriors for the show were shot at the famous Big Sky Movie Ranch(viaBigSkyMovieRanchOfficial). Big Sky Movie Ranch includes over 7000 acres within a 30-mile radius, in the hills of Simi Valley.
Little House On The Prairie: Every Actor In The Cast Who Has Died In Real Life
With the show over four decades old, it’s worth looking at the Little House in the Prairie cast who have died in real life to examine their legacies.
Several notable productions have been shot there, includingBabylon,Gunsmoke, andTwin Peaks. The farm at Plum Creek was also filmed at Big Sky Movie Ranch.The large open space allowed the production team to construct the town of Walnut Groveand still leave ample vistas for different settings in the show (viaGiggster).
Little House’s Interiors Were Shot At Paramount Studios
Paramount Studios Is Less Than 40 Miles From Simi Valley
The interiors forLittle House on the Prairiewere all filmed on sound stages at Paramount Studios (viaWideOpenCountry).It’s always a bit easier to film these intimate sequences in an indoor setting in order to allow more room for cameras, light and sound technicians, and the actorsto operate. It also means that production only needs to focus on the exterior when designing a building, and they don’t have to worry about how windows or doors or other frustrations will affect shooting inside. It’s nearly impossible to tell, and inside and outside both look fantastic.
Are The Little House On The Prairie Sets Still Around Today?
The Sets Were Blown Up In The Series Finale
Sadly, the sets forLittle House on the Prairiehave since been torn down, though the landscapes are still recognizable (viaYouTube). TheLittle House on the Prairiefinale sees the townspeople having to blow up their homes, which Michael Landon said (viaNYT),
“It was also a nice catharsis for the cast and crew. There were lots of tears when we finally blew up the town. The actors had all become very attached to their own buildings, so it was very emotional.”
Landon and his crew opted to destroy the sets as a final goodbye to the show. However, Melissa Gilbert (who played Laura Ingalls), said in her memoirPrairie Tales(viaCollider),
“[Landon] was furious that he had never received an official phone call from NBC president Brandon Tartikoff or anyone else at the network, letting him know the fate of the show. He had been on the network since 1959. Perceiving disrespect, Mike’s temper red-lined. He wanted to destroy all the sets — Walnut Grove, everything in Simi Valley.”
This has never been confirmed by anyone else, butthe fact that Landon went on to star inHighway to Heavenjust a year later suggests he wasn’t totally blindsided by the show ending, and this may just be an apocryphal story. A replica of the original homestead was built by the crew after the show ended, but sadly, it burned down in a fire in 2003 (viaVCStar). While it may be impossible for fans to visit theLittle House on the Prairiesets now, they’ll remain forever immortalized on the show.
Little House on the Prairie
Cast
Little House on the Prairie, a Western drama, debuted in 1974 and stars Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, and Karen Grassle. The series chronicles the daily experiences of a family residing on a farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, during the late 19th century, exploring themes of community and frontier life.
