Editor’s note: Joe Norris’ series of articles about quirky day trips around Kansas has generated much reader response, including two from people with interesting connections to them. His series continues on Page 19 of this month’s issue.
‘Little House’ carpenter
Scrolling through a Google news feed this morning, imagine my surprise recognizing a picture and reading the attached story (“Little House on the Prairie really is … little,” August 2025). It brought back some interesting memories.
I built that (Little House) replica from the hardest, heaviest, gnarliest wood I have ever used. According to the property owners, it came from the same grove Charles Ingalls would have used. Seeing what it did to my chain saw chains, I can only imagine what it did to Ingalls axe and back. Not to mention Ma’s accident when a log rolled on her leg.
Thanks for the memory.
— Jim Davis
Ladore tragedy
It was interesting reading your story of Ladore (“Graveyard all that remains of once notorious Kansas town,” July 2025). The story of the gang that took the girls and raped them has been in my family as long as I can remember. The girls were my great-great aunts. They were young, 12-14ish, and worked part time at the inn. We were always told that the owner saw the gang come into town and hid the girls in a room upstairs. They found them and did rape them. Their father and male family members (unknown) took off after them. The men were hanged, but my family never admitted to doing it. They were very religious, so I’m not sure if that played in to them not admitting the hanging. My mother and aunt always thought they were the ones who did it.
The girls returned home and one died not long after. I was told she died of “shame.” No mention was made of what happened to the other girl. I assume she went on and lived a normal life, or I would have heard about it. Hugh Augustus Talbott and part of his family is buried in Neosho County about six miles from St Paul. Hugh’s son William is my great grandad.
I’ve read about this incident in a book my aunt had, but your article details the town of Ladore in more detail.
— Carolyn Primm
