The Prairie House Manor Bed & Breakfast

Welcome to the Prairie House Manor...

A Victorian Bed and Breakfast located in the
Little Town on the Prairie
De Smet, South Dakota

Hometown of author
Laura Ingalls Wilder

Prairie House Manor is the perfect place for scrapbooking weekends, quilting parties, church retreats, family reunions, ladies weekend getaways, business meetings, and executive retreats. Just let us know your needs and we will work with you to create the ideal environment for a successful and memorable event. From delicious meals to overnight accommodations to meeting spaces, we will customize a package just for you. Call today. 

Families come from all over the world to visit Laura Ingalls Wilder's hometown and we are proud to be a part of that love. Our home belonged to Banker Ruth from the Little House book The Long Winter.

Attraction Information

Laura Ingalls Wilder Tour Schedule · Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant
The church "Pa" helped build

Amenities

Delicious Full Breakfast Each Morning ~ Spacious Accommodations ~ Private Baths
Free Pool Passes Year Round ~ Handicapped Accessible ~ Children Welcome
Pool Table ~ Convenient Location ~ Meeting Spaces

Wake each morning to incredible aromas wafting to your room. Getting out of your comfortable bed would be difficult, except you won't be able to resist the urge to see what's for breakfast. Start each day with culinary delights such as Homemade Blueberry Waffles with Raspberry Sauce & Whipped Cream or Jenny's Made-To-Order Omlettes. You won't go away hungry...

If you don't see a package that addresses your specific needs,
call us, we can custom design a package just for you.

History of Prairie House Manor

I wonder what it was like to walk the streets of De Smet in 1880 when Colonel Thomas H. Ruth served as mayor. Here in the Little Town on the Prairie he was known as Banker Ruth, an early businessman. He purchased our property in 1884 and completed his house in 1894 before the birth of his son, Edwin.

Our home was restored in 1989 and opened for business on June 29, 1990. At that time it was dedicated to the Lord as a Christian business and the Lord has richly blessed us with wonderful couples and families.

Guests enjoy six rooms with private baths. Guest rooms on the first floor are handicapped accessible. Rooms are suitable for a romantic get away or a family vacation. We welcome all.

We dreamed of returning the house to its historic elegance. Searching for pictures we found one in an antique postcard display at the Oxbow Restaurant and one in Laura Ingalls Wilder Country, page 81. Ron Waldner used the pictures to design and build the porch to its original style. In 1998, we added the glass windows to make the front sitting porch a three seasons dream porch.

Our home is listed on the National Historic Registry for the person, Colonel Thomas H. Ruth, that lived here.

Welcome to De Smet

Fresh air, sunshine and wide open prairies greet you when you explore the "Little Town on the Prarie." Whether you are looking for a fun family vacation, a hunting or fishing trip or some unique shopping and dining, De Smet has it all.

Visit the original homes of famous author Laura Ingalls Wilder and take a covered wagon ride or take in the Laura Ingalls Wilder pageant.

Visit Lake Thompson, just eight miles east of De Smet, South Dakota's largest natural lake. It's an angler's haven with walleye, perch and northern pike. The De Smet area also offers the best pheasant hunting in east central South Dakota.

De Smet also offers many unique shops on Main Street, midwestern hospitality and a wide selection of restaurants.

Hunting in South Dakota is more than just a hobby...it's a passion. Year-round, you can enjoy world-class hunting on nearly five million acres of public land. The most popular time to hunt in South Dakota is in the fall, but late season hunting can also be very successful and enjoyable.

The Pheasantennial: 100 Years of Tradition

In 1908, a group of farmers released a pair of Chinese Ring-necked Pheasants into a field near Redfield, in northeastern South Dakota. A century later, millions of pheasants thrive on prairies across the state. During the 2008 hunting season, South Dakota communities will be hosting special Pheasantennial celebrations, marking 100 years of tradition. Promoting conservation and preservation for future outdoor enthusiasts will be part of their message.

Pheasant hunting and other upland game, waterfowl hunting, small game and deer hunting seasons all open in the fall. During the winter months, late season deer and predator hunting are active. In the spring, hunters can participate in turkey and light goose seasons. In the off-season, prairie dog hunting and other varmint hunting are permitted on private land (with permission).

Please visit The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks website for more information - www.sdgfp.info

Welcome to De Smet

Fresh air, sunshine and wide open prairies greet you when you explore the "Little Town on the Prairie." Whether you are looking for a fun family vacation, a hunting or fishing trip or some unique shopping and dining, De Smet has it all. Visit the original homes of famous author Laura Ingalls Wilder and take a covered wagon ride or take in the Laura Ingalls Wilder pageant.

Visit Lake Thompson, just eight miles east of De Smet, South Dakota's largest natural lake. It's an angler's haven with walleye, perch and northern pike. The De Smet area also offers the best pheasant hunting in east central South Dakota. De Smet also offers many unique shops on Main Street, midwestern hospitality and a wide selection of restaurants.

• Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society, Inc. - www.discoverlaura.org
  Discover Laura Ingalls Wilder with a visit to "The Little Town on the Prairie", De Smet, South Dakota. Laura's stories come to life when you join our costumed guides for a visit to the original homes of author Laura Ingalls Wilder. Explore the Sureyors' House where Laura and her family spent their first Dakota winter. Laura wrote about this home in her "Little House" book, By the Shores of Silver Lake. Visit the home that Pa built, the Ingalls Home, and learn what happened to Ma, Pa, Mary, Laura, Carrie and Grace. Experience a unique journey into Laura's life and history!
• Ingalls Homestead - www.ingallshomestead.com
  Visit the prairie of Laura's "Little House" stories. Pa Ingalls and his family claimed this piece of Dakota Territory as their homestead. Sample 1880's pioneering life: Covered wagon rides, Historic school session, Hands-on pioneering activities, and Prairie learning center. Plan an old fashioned family day to De Smet, South Dakota.
• Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant - www.desmetpageant.org
  Capture the pioneering spirit with Laura and Almanzo in this year's production of "These Happy Golden Years". The setting sun and Dakota prairies provide a wonderful backdrop for the outdoor pageant. The pageant is held one mile southeast of De Smet. From the pageant grounds you can see the land Pa homesteaded and the cottonwood trees Pa planted. The big slough and Silver Lake are nearby. "Little Town on the Prairie" brings Laura and her prairie wonderfully to life. (800) 880-3383 or (800) 776-3594
• The Loftus Store - www.loftusstore.com
  The Loftus Store your "Quality Store" since 1879. The original building still stands today. Laura wrote of Mr. Loftus and store in her well known book, The Long Winter. Walk where Laura walked. Discover original shoe boxes and shoes found in the attic 125 years later. Free admission and souvenir. Visa and MasterCard accepted.
• De Smet Depot Museum - Harvey Dunn School
  De Smet traces its history to the year the railroad reached this location. The railroad depot is now a museum that features exhibits on De Smet's early history, a South Dakota wildlife display and a country print shop.

  Adjacent to the museum is the schoolhouse attended by prairie artist Harvey Dunn who was born near De Smet. Several of Dunn's original works are on display in the city library, along with a collection of Laura Ingalls Wilder family memorabilia. Public internet access computers are also available at the library.

• For De Smet Information call (866) 528-7273 or (866) LAURASD

Recreation

• Lake Thompson
  The changing season produces even more fun for snowmobiling, cross country skiing and year-round fishing. Five miles east of De Smet is Lake Thompson, South Dakota’s larges natural lake. It’s an angler’s haven with walleye, perch and northern pike.
• Washington Park - www.desmet.govoffice2.com
  De Smet was named for Father De Smet, a Jesuit missionary who spent his life among the Indians, and a statue in his honor stands in the city’s Washington Park. Picnic facilities, a modern playground, campsites with electricity and water, restrooms with showers, a volleyball court, and horseshoe pits are also located in Washington Park.
• 4-H Park and Rose Vincent Memorial Park - www.desmet.govoffice2.com
  4-H Park and Rose Vincent Memorial Park provide additional picnic facilities and modern playgrounds.
• Summer Recreation - www.desmet.govoffice2.com
  Other recreational facilities available in De Smet are an athletic park, bathhouse and swimming pool, and tennis courts. Summer youth activities include Red Cross swimming lessons, girls' softball, and boys' pee wee & midget baseball.
• Kingsbury County Country Club
  611 7th Street SW, De Smet, SD 57231, (605) 854-3134. Enjoy some time on the links at our fabulous golf course. Green fees: 9 holes-$10, 18 holes-$15, All Day-$20. League nights: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - 5pm start. Soft spikes required. Golf cart rentals available.