Her Richest Harvest

As Laura suffered from Manly's death, so did America. Fans sent letters of sympathy to her, and friends helped her take care of the house and plan Manly's funeral. Some of the work hands and their families that were hired to help Manly became some of her closest friends on Rocky Ridge, and she cherished them. The following year after Manly's death, Pomona, California dedicated its children's section of its library to Laura and named it the Laura Ingalls Wilder Room. As her personal gift to the library, she sent the original penciled script of Little Town on the Prairie. Mansfield also dedicated its library to her as the Laura Ingalls Wilder Library on September 28, 1951. Throughout her years, fans came to visit and meet the author of the Little House books, she attended book fairs where she signed autographs, and lived at home by herself in her rocking chair. In 1954, when she turned eighty- seven, Laura took her first airplane ride to see Rose's home in Danbury, Connecticut. But, when she got home, she became very ill and the doctors discovered that she had diabetes. Fans from all over the world sent her cards and presents to get well soon, which made Laura feel better, inside and out. But, on February 10, 1957, three days after her ninetieth birthday, she died. It was hard to believe that America had lost one of its oldest pioneers, and a writer at that too. Rose said that the longest lives are short, but their work lasts longer. Laura's books were her richest harvest. "My love will be with you always."- Laura Ingalls Wilder