L. Frank Baum Called Aberdeen, SD Home

Wonderful Wizard of Oz author, L. Frank Baum lived in this Aberdeen house in the 1890

Famous childrens author, L. Frank Baum lived in Aberdeen from 1889 to 1891. He lived in this house for a time. While in Aberdeen he operated an import shop downtown selling goods to new residents who were experiencing Aberdeen’s boom years. He also started a weekly newspaper called, The Saturday Pioneer and operated it for 18 months. It was full of regional and local news and also took a satirical twist to city politics. After Baum left Aberdeen he headed to Chicago and wrote the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Author, Michael Patrick Hern has written a book about the Wizard of Oz and references nearly every sentence in the book to some possible connection in Baum’s life. Many attributes are made to Baum’s time in Dakota. — Troy McQuillen

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