Walnut Grove's End

1/5/2025

Why Did They Blow Up the Schoolhouse?
Who hasn't fallen in love with the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder...or Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert in the TV adaptation of Little House on the Prairie? One of our CSAA members, Sarah Uthoff, is a lifelong devotee and expert on all things "Laura." She will no doubt think me daft when I divulge that I only learned a few years ago that in the last episode of the 9th and final season, the good people of Walnut Grove, being forced out of their town by an evil land developer, blew up all the buildings in their town except the church (and in real life the Ingalls farm film set). If I ever knew, I simply forgot. They actually blew them all to smithereens!

That meant the beloved Walnut Grove Schoolhouse, the focal point of countless unforgettable episodes, childhood antics, teacher troubles, student rivalries, and budding young love, exploded into a hail of sticks.

The explosions are well documented on YouTube and writers have offered a number of reasons as to WHY total destruction would be chosen as the end of the Little House series. Access the attached article that has researched the real story. FACT-CHECK TIME!!
1. It was rumored that Michael Landon was unhappy with NBC that the show was cancelled and he didn't want others to use his set.
2. Newhall Land Development that rented the land for the film set had a contract that required the land be returned to its original state following the cancellation. They suggested bringing in a crane to demolish the buildings.
3. Michael Landon decided blowing up the buildings (and later removing the debris) would be cost effective and it would provide a great story for a finale!

WHY BLOW UP WALNUT GROVE? FACT CHECK!

In 2024 the cast, crew, and devotees of Little House on the Prairie TV series celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the the introduction of the pilot episode that spurred a nine-year love affair with the Ingalls family. A reunion festival was held at Big Sky Ranch (original site) with visits by many cast members. Tours were offered to see replica "flats" built to indicate where the originals sets stood. The schoolhouse movie set stood up the hill from Oleson's Mercantile as you see below...Uh, flats are not that exciting. (Top Photos: from movie scenes. Bottom Photos: "flats" on the tour.)
I'll wager that our national authority on Laura Ingalls Wilder, Sarah Uthoff, attended that anniversary festival and hope to hear from her with some thoughts. Check out her impressive brochure below. That black button can lead you to her website as well!