PIERRE, S.D.—Following the announcement that the South Dakota State Historical Society (SDSHS) Press will publish Laura Ingalls Wilder’s autobiography, Pioneer Girl, the SDSHS Press will also launch a new website, pioneergirlproject.org, to accompany the book.

The new website will document the complete project as the Press works towards publishing what is almost certainly the most important book in its 15 years of existence.

“We have launched a project website because we believe that there is a large and interested audience for such a venture,” said SDSHS Press marketing director Martyn Beeny. “Pioneer Girl has never been published before, and the SDSHS Press intends to use this new platform to do justice to one of the great American writers, her autobiography, and the mission to publish it.”

The website is intended to provide a window into the writing and editing process, as well as to offer a platform for a far more in-depth and multimedia interaction with the book. The Pioneer Girl Project features original content in the form of videos with the editor, Laura Ingalls Wilder experts, and others involved in the project. Additionally, written articles will be published regularly on the site, keeping everyone informed of the progress and what is happening behind the scenes. Other content will include photographs, illustrations, and excerpts.

“Readers will also have the opportunity to engage with editors at the Press and ask questions of the author in the comments sections throughout the website,” said Beeny. “The site will be updated regularly and we hope that readers will follow the SDSHS Press throughout this project.”

The Pioneer Girl Project is funded in part by donations and grants from multiple sources, but most significantly from a matching grant awarded by the Great Plains Education Foundation, Inc., in Aberdeen. The funding of this project is an ongoing process, and the SDSHS Press wishes to thank its existing partners and extend the opportunity to other donors to become involved in this incredible publishing opportunity. To donate, please contact Patricia Miller, South Dakota Historical Society Foundation, 900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD, 57051, or telephone (605) 773-6001.

The Pioneer Girl Project is online at pioneergirlproject.org. The book can be preordered for $35 (plus shipping and tax where applicable) direct from the South Dakota State Historical Society Press by contacting (605) 773-6009 or emailing orders@sdshspress.com.

-30-

The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Tourism. The Department of Tourism is comprised of Tourism, the South Dakota Arts Council, and the State Historical Society. The Department is led by Secretary James D. Hagen. The State Historical Society is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, the archives, and the historic preservation, publishing and administrative/development offices. Call (605) 773-3458 or visit www.history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call (605) 394-1936 for more information.