Hello sweet friends, I hope you enjoyed a wonderful weekend. This is the second post, in a planned six-part series, featuring the fabulous recreated Little House on the Prairie Walnut Grove sets and their amazing creators. Today’s post features Oleson’s Mercantile Simi Valley Festival.
If you missed the first post, Creating The Little House you may want to start there as it covers the Little House set and the amazing creatives that brought it to life.
Oleson’s Merchantile Simi Valley Festival
Each of the sets at the festival were set up like a soundstage. There were even vintage Panavison cameras positioned to provide guests with the feeling of visiting an actual Little House set.
My new prairie pal, Sherri Brasher, wore her dad’s original shirt to the festival. He was a cameraman and Sherri was an extra on Little House.
This image is courtesy of Sherri.
At the front of each set was a wonderfully informative sign.
These signs were all created by my dear friend Steven Wishnoff. Mr. Wishnoff is a fabulous actor, writer, casting professional and television producer. All during the festival we kept saying we were going to take a photo together, but it was pure madness. Steven wore SO MANY HATS during the festival. So I just stole this headshot from him.
Prop and Set Dressers Melanie Schultze-Cavaness and Gretchen Morales were absolutely brilliant at recreating the set designs. Melanie is shown here in a moment of prop completation.
Welcome to The Mercantile!
How I wish I could have gone shopping!
Truly spot on!
Harriet can I please trade all my eggs for the pretty dishes and oil lamps?
Why yes, that is real candy and it all belongs to Nellie and Willie. Stay tuned for more on that.
The Center Aisle
As I stood from this viewpoint so many episodes replayed in my mind.
Who remembers Doctor’s Lady from Season 1, Episode 17?
Window Display
The only thing missing from the beloved merchantile were Nels and Harriet.
Yardage Fancy & Plain
My favorite part of the store was of course the sewing section.
I’ll take it all!
Particularly the antique thread cabinet!
As this post is a behind the scenes look lets pop behind the counter.
I so wanted to get a photo of myself alongside the fabric.
Alas, there is not a single shot of myself in the merchantile.
However, I am so happy that I took a few of my kids.
Alyssabeth Ingalls Sherman, Megan Scoma (Ian’s fiancée) and Ian Charles Ingalls Gunn
I have to take a moment to share how proud and thankful I am for these three.
Ian and Megan both gave up their college spring break to not only attend the festival, but assist me in the costume exhibit. They brought so much joy to many of the attendees as Almanzo and Laura.
My darling daughter took vacation days from work to assist with the exhibit and smiled with festival guests until her cheeks ached.
The Best Mercantile Accessories
On the last day of the festival, after the doors were shut, pure magic happened.
Nellie and Willie Oleson (Alison Arngrim and Jonathan Gilbert) were together again!
These two still posess amazing comedic genius.
There will be much more to come of Nellie and Willie’s after hours shenanigans.
For those of you at the festival who were saddened that I wasn’t selling bonnets Alison has you covered! The bonnets in her online store come from Walnut Grove, Minnestosa. You cannot get a better bonnet than that. Plus, she will sign it!
This was Jonathon’s first Little House appearance in over 40 years. It was so worth the wait! I found him so funny and kind.
More Little House Content
Other Posts You May Enjoy
You can view numerous reels on my Instagram page.
There is also a video on my YouTube channel.
Coming Soon!
Panels, Vendors and More Oh My!.
You are welcome to use the images taken by me in this post. If you share them on social media could you please credit either myself, Laura Ingalls Gunn, or my website.
Additional prairie themed content can be found by clicking on the Little House tab or at the top of this page.
I am also on YouTube. There is a specific Lessons With Laura playlist featuring 20+ Little House themed videos created over the years.
I’ll see you on Wednesday with more special festival moments.
Laura
OMG… those behind the thread counter pics with all the extra fabrics- I missed all of that! TY so much for all these shares. Your area was my favorite display in the whole building. I am so proud of you— and frankly your family and friends who aided you over those final deadline hurdles. I eagerly ae=wait book news!
thank you Laura for a behind the scenes look at the Mercantile. I kept waiting for Mr. Godsy to come around the counter but seeing Nellie and willie was so cool. have a blessed day
So happy and proud to call you friend, Laura! All of the costumes you made were beautiful — I especially liked Mary’s outfit — colors were spot on! I have a tender question…..What has happened to all of the costumes that were used while Little House was on the air? Thank you for all the insight and behind the scenes info you are sharing with us.
Georgeann
Nellie was always my favorite!
What great attention to detail! It makes me want to find an episode with the mercantile to compare. I love, just love, that your family was there with you. I’m sure they had a wonderful time and they all look terrific! They are definitely well dressed!
This brings back such fond memories! I love it!
Seeing the sets, the furniture, the people. It’s crazy so many years have gone by. My favorite episode is “The Lord Is My Shepherd. All the episode told a beautiful or sad story. The 2nd fave episode is “Second Spring”, with Mr Oleson falling in love with a younger, beautiful lady, Suzanne Rogers.
Thank you for all you did to recreate the sets, hired people, etc. it was awesome meeting you. It was great seeing everyone again.