Little House on the Prairie

Founder's Day

Season 1, Episode 24

Episode Summary

With a Founder's Day event approaching for Walnut Grove, everyone prepares for a celebration complete with games and heated competition. Everyone in the Ingalls family ends up participating, most notably Charles, who finds an unlikely nemesis in the log-splitting competition.

9.1

EPISODE RATING: Superb

87 votes

Your Rating: 10

"Perfect"
Your Rating: 9.5

"Superb"
Your Rating: 9

"Superb"
Your Rating: 8.5

"Great"
Your Rating: 8

"Great"
Your Rating: 7.5

"Good"
Your Rating: 7

"Good"
Your Rating: 6.5

"Fair"
Your Rating: 6

"Fair"
Your Rating: 5.5

"Mediocre"
Your Rating: 5

"Mediocre"
Your Rating: 4.5

"Poor"
Your Rating: 4

"Poor"
Your Rating: 3.5

"Bad"
Your Rating: 3

"Bad"
Your Rating: 2.5

"Terrible"
Your Rating: 2

"Terrible"
Your Rating: 1.5

"Abysmal"
Your Rating: 1

"Abysmal"

Rate It

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Melissa Gilbert

Laura Elizabeth Ingalls/Wilder
Dabbs Greer

Reverend Alden
Melissa Sue Anderson

Mary Amelia Ingalls/Kendall (1974 - 1981)

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

Trivia
ADD TRIVIA
- "Founder's Day" is Richard Bull's (Nels Oleson) favorite episode from season 1. Edit
- When Melissa Gilber (Laura) runs up to the Olesons to tell them that her Pa is going to win the tug-of-war contest, notice that when she turns around and runs off again, she briefly bumps right into the gate, avoiding a potentially major wipe-out by dodging just in time. You will see also that Richard Bull (Nels Oleson) looks a little startled when he sees Gilbert do this, and then he smiles and laughs before continuing with his lines. Edit
- Notice that when Jim wins the log contest and is awarded his watch and blue ribbon, the sky is completely gray, and it's obvious that a thunderstorm is about to erupt any minute. However, in the very next scene, when Laura and Charles are talking, the sky is an immaculate blue, and the sun is beaming down. Edit
Notes
ADD NOTES
- Filming Locations: Filmed at Big Sky Ranch, Simi Valley and Paramount Studios, Hollywood, California. Edit
- Look at actress Karen Grassle (Caroline)'s hair in the scene where she's rubbing linament oil on Charles' back. Her hair appears to be very dark brown, unlike her typically light brown shade. Granted, this is a first season episode, and Grassle wasn't graying yet, but seeing her with what appears to be long, dark hair is rather surprising. Edit
- Nellie wins the hoop-rolling contest, but the judge should have disqualified her early on. Before the contestants even round the first curve, Nellie can clearly be seen picking up her hoop and running with it in her hand for a distance of at least ten feet. Furthermore, if she truly did bump Laura's hoop as Laura claimed, the judges should have also noticed that. Edit
Quotes
ADD QUOTES
- Charles: (to Laura after she loses contest) Winning's not the important thing. It's the competing, the having fun, right? Edit
- Laura: You had a borrowed ax until the end, and then you used your old one. Charles: (smiles) You know, you're right. Laura: Why, Pa? Charles: Well, I'll tell you, Half-Pint, Mr. Tyler is a good man with a saw, but he's a lot older than I am. When you get older, you get tired more easily, just like you winning a race with a big head start. It doesn't mean anything when you have a head start. Laura: It sure doesn't. Charles: That's why I switched the axes, so it would be even between me and Mr. Tyler. Can you understand? Laura: I suppose. Mr. Tyler sure is happy about winning. Charles: No happier than I am about losing. (hugs her) Edit
- Jim: I would have gotten a lot more work done if I'd had someone other than a farmer on the other end of the saw. Charles: (to Mr. Hanson) Your friend talks a lot better than he cuts. Jim: Well, now, it's not your fault you're a farmer. Charles: Well, I'm proud to be a farmer. As for running a cross cut, I'm as good as you ever were, and probably better. Jim: That's pretty strong talk coming from a farmer boy. Charles: Yeah, that's right. Edit
Allusions
- Help by adding allusions to this episode. Add allusions