Original Filming Location and Studio Setup
The television series Little House on the Prairie was primarily filmed at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California, with exterior scenes shot at the nearby Big Sky Ranch in Santa Clarita, California. The ranch provided the open prairie landscapes and the iconic Ingalls family farm set that became the visual backbone of the show. Big Sky Ranch has remained a major filming hub for Westerns and period dramas, with its terrain continuing to attract production companies looking for accessible outdoor locations. California remains one of the top global production hubs, and ranches like Big Sky are central to that infrastructure.
The interior sets for the Ingalls home, schoolhouse, and general store were built on soundstages at Paramount, where the production team recreated 1880s Walnut Grove with detailed period props and costumes. The show ran from 1974 to 1983, with a total of nine seasons and over 200 episodes produced by NBC Productions and distributed by NBCUniversal Television. The series was based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's autobiographical book series and became one of the longest-running family dramas of its era. NBCUniversal continues to manage the show's library and licensing across streaming and broadcast platforms.
Current Status of Key Filming Sites
Big Sky Ranch and Santa Clarita Locations
Big Sky Ranch in Santa Clarita is still active as a filming location and is operated by private ranch management companies that lease parcels for productions. The original Little House on the Prairie farm set was dismantled after the series ended, but the open ranch land remains unchanged and is used for modern TV and film shoots. The area has seen increased demand from streaming services and cable networks seeking outdoor period settings. Santa Clarita's production infrastructure supports both large-scale studio projects and smaller location shoots.
Paramount Studios in Hollywood continues to operate as a major production facility, and its historic stages are still used for television and film work. The original Little House soundstage sets no longer exist, but the studio lot remains a key location for scripted series and movies. Paramount Global, the parent company, manages the lot and licenses content from its extensive library, including Little House on the Prairie. Paramount Global maintains digital and physical archives of the series for syndication and streaming distribution.
Visitor Access and Preservation Efforts
Walnut Grove, Minnesota, and De Smet, South Dakota
Walnut Grove, Minnesota, markets itself as the real-life inspiration for the show's town and operates a Laura Ingalls Wilder museum and heritage sites open to visitors. The city leverages its connection to the series for tourism, with annual events and guided tours highlighting locations tied to Wilder's life. De Smet, South Dakota, where Wilder lived as a teenager, also draws fans and researchers interested in the historical context of the books and show. The National Park Service and state tourism offices track visitor data for heritage sites linked to American literary and television history.
While no original Little House on the Prairie filming sets remain standing, several replica structures and interpretive exhibits have been built in both