The season officially kicked off Tuesday at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove, but there was something different in the air.
Make that, someone different. Not only was it the first day of business at the popular tourist spot, it was also Adisyn Erdman’s first opportunity to greet visitors as the museum’s new director.
“I grew up watching Little House on the Prairie,” Erdman said. “Every summer they do a one-room schoolhouse experience at Heritage Park in Forrest City, and I remember going to that and riding a horse to school. My mom made me the dress and the bonnet.”
Erdman grew up in Forrest City, Iowa, and attended Forrest City High School. After that, it was off to Waldorf University in Iowa to study history. Erdman is all of 21 years old, and the ink on her diploma isn’t dry yet, but she’s already worked at one museum (the Kinney Pioneer Museum in Mason City, Iowa) so she feels ready to tackle the challenges of running a museum in a new town.
“A friend sent me the posting for the job, and I talked to my family about it and decided to apply,” Erdmann said. “I had an interview online and came here for one, and everybody here was just great. So, now I’m here.”
Erdman has read all the Little House books and grew up and, like any Laura fan, intently watched the series on TV (she owns the entire DVD boxset). But one might be surprised at who her favorite character is.
“I loved Mr. Edwards; I was a little heartbroken to find out he wasn’t a real character,” she said. “It probably has to do with one of the first episodes where he brings all the Christmas presents he’s probably always been my favorite. It was a show that my mom loved.”
Erdman has yet to see the live, outdoor pageant, but plans on attending this summer and is excited to see Walnut Grove come alive when July rolls around and the tourists pour in from all parts of the country.
“I’m looking forward to meeting all the visitors and hearing about where they come from,” she said. “It’s wild to me — I now get to experience because I work here — that so many people are so passionate about something, whether it’s the show or the books, and make this their vacation destination. I’m excited to hear their stories.”
Erdman said she appreciates the chance to work for the museum and share her passion for Little House on the Prairie in an official capacity.
“When I was applying, I was just so excited about the possibly of working here,” she said. “I remember reading the books, and I looked at my mom and said, ‘I think I figured out why I’m so excited.’ My bookshelves are filled with female authors writing about history; that’s just something I’ve always been drawn to.”
