WALNUT GROVE SCHOOL HOUSE MODEL from Little House on the Prairie TV series

Walnut Grove School House Model 1/87Th Scale

1974-1986

Little House on the Prairie NBC

This is a of a follow-up to one of my earliest post --look back and you will see the story behind this commissioned project. A reader mentioned that I never posted any images of the final Schoolhouse model in this continuing series. One of the others is almost completed - Nellie's Restaurant. The Ingalls' Farm complex is in the starting phase. I'll post images of those as they are ready.

calling in the kids.............

The model, like the others in this series is made from styrene, foam, vinyl and brass

if you look very carefully there are two bluebirds in the oak tree just to the left of the school

The real set locations were in Simi Valley, but these models were photographed in the back country             of San Diego which has a similar look of yellow grass and oak trees.

While doing research for these models I noticed the school's outhouse over the decades changed locations

sometimes it was on the left, sometimes it was on the right-------and sometimes these is NO outhouse at all!!

the location on the right seemed to be the most common -so that it where I planted it.

The real television building sets were all destroyed on the show with the exception of the Ingles' House and the School house shown here in model form. The sets were actually destroyed on the last episodes of the series---for legal reasons ALL structures built on the movie ranch had to be completely removed and the property returned to it's natural state as it appeared prior to filming. The two set buildings that were saved , were disassembled and put into storage. Sadly they were also destroyed after a fire burned the warehouse the sets were kept.

Here is a birds-eye view showing the layout of the model

Three identical models were constructed for the client and a fourth was built for my sister --a huge Little House on the Prairie fan

Here's one of the five Oleson's Mercantile models that were built. Each is 95% the same as its "sisters" but each may have a slight variance in a detail. This one is not the same one that appeared in the earlier posts.

Those roses Mrs. Oleson planted keep growing outside the fence and NOT in her garden where she wants them

It may be hard to tell from these images, but the mercantile features lace curtains, pull shades and goods & wares inside the shop windows!!

Also in the works is Doc Baker's/Post Office, Grist Mill, and Bank/Print Office



OLESON'S MERCANTILE & WALNUT GROVE SCHOOL HOUSE times FOUR!

A project I've been working on required me to construct 3 each of several famous set structures from the television show LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE that ran from 1974-1986. None of the structures exist today, and any of the plans and blueprints known to exist for them were destroyed in a massive fire that wiped away everything from scripts, set designs, props, concept art, costumes and anything else associated with the show's production. The first commission was for the OLESON'S MERCANTILE and The SCHOOL HOUSE/CHURCH as depicted in the TV version of WALNUT GROVE Minnesota (.......it was really in Simi Valley less than 1/2 hour from downtown LA!!)  One problem with making models of structures that are movie or TV props, is that they are not real structures in most cases, and their interiors rarely match up with their exteriors. I scanned through hours and hours of episodes of the show and reviewed press photos and cast  set /backstage photos and  also got personal memories from Little House cast and crew for my research before the plans and drawings were started.  Many of the structures over time seem to grow extra walls or details appear on some episodes and on others they are totally absent. With the case of the MERCANTILE,  it's interesting to note the placements of  smoke-jacks and chimneys  on the outside of the building have nothing to do with where fireplaces, cook-stoves and parlor stoves are on the inside sets. Some structures walls actually grew longer......no doubt that the set was revised or enlarged once the producers knew the show was going be around for a while.

Since my sister is such a fan of the show I built her a Oleson's Mercantile and Schoolhouse for her as well, requiring me to construct 4 of each structure!

Hours and hours of the show were viewed to find rare glimpses of the buildings backsides to make this as accurate as possible!

A neat shot from the personal collection of my favorite cast member from the show!

It may be hard to tell from these shots, but all four Mercantiles feature lace curtains, shades and even goods and wares inside the windows!!

From what I can tell, that large warehouse type door was to get inside camera access and storage.

I'll show the fabrication process in a later post. Bellow is the schoolhouse during a mid point of construction, with about 20% more to go before it was completed for delivery

A interesting view from above!

After completion the excited new owner of these placed an order for more! She has requested one with her namesake!!