If you’ve ever fallen in love with the timeless simplicity of Little House on the Prairie or found yourself inspired by the hardworking, resourceful spirit of Farmer Boy, then chances are you’ve admired the quiet beauty of the everyday objects from that period. Among these humble, practical items is the prairie peg rail, a long wooden rail lined with pegs used for hanging clothing, tools, bonnets, lanterns, aprons, and just about anything else a frontier family needed to keep handy.
For homesteaders, hobbyists, and families working through a Little House on the Prairie Unit Study, making your own prairie peg rail is a perfect hands-on project. It weaves history, craft, sustainability, and practicality into one meaningful creation. And the best part? You don’t need a workshop or specialised tools. Thomas’ peg rail was made entirely from reclaimed materials, specifically, wooden pieces from an old cot and some spare door handles. It’s a beginner-friendly project that anyone can do!
Throughout this post, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process, adding tips Thomas learned along the way, and show how this project connects beautifully with themes from Little House on the Prairie and Farmer Boy. If you’re looking for a way to bring your unit study to life, or simply want to craft something rustic, charming, and useful, this peg rail project is for you.
Why a Prairie Peg Rail?
Before we dive into the how-to, let’s explore why the prairie peg rail is such an iconic item in pioneer living—and why it fits perfectly into a Little House on the Prairie unit study.
A Touch of Real Pioneer Life
Families in the 19th-century prairie homesteads didn’t have closets, wardrobes, or built-in storage. Instead, peg rails lined the walls of kitchens, bedrooms, and entryways. They held:
- Coats and bonnets
- Lanterns
- Aprons and work gloves
- Bags of herbs
- Scarves and nightgowns
- Tools, satchels, and other daily necessities
In Farmer Boy, young Almanzo Wilder lived on a bustling farm where tools and clothing needed to be kept in order. A peg rail was exactly the sort of item that would have been part of daily life: simple, useful, and built to last.
Perfect for Hands-On Learning
If you’re guiding children through a Little House on the Prairie Unit Study, building a peg rail brings history to life:
- Kids see how families organised their homes.
- They learn about resourcefulness and reuse which are values central to pioneer living.
- It integrates woodworking, measurement, design, and practical skills.
- It results in a functional object they can use daily (in my case, for hanging baby nighties in the playhouse!).
Peg rails aren’t just décor, they’re history in action.
Thomas’ DIY Peg Rail: Made From an Old Cot and Door Handles
The peg rail Thomas made was a true upcycling project. Everything, from the wooden base to the pegs themselves, was reclaimed. If you enjoy sustainable crafting, this is a deeply satisfying approach.
Materials Used
- Wood from an old cot (cut down to size)
- Door handles (these became my pegs)
- 3.6-volt screwdriver
- 4.5 mm drill bit
- Screws
- Wood preservative (brown dye)
- Sandpaper
- A cloth or brush to apply the preservative
That’s it! No fancy corners, no joiners, no workshop. Just simple tools and reclaimed materials.
Step-by-Step: Making a Prairie Peg Rail
Below is exactly how Thomas made his peg rail, along with tips, explanations, and ideas to help you adapt it to your space or Little House on the Prairie theme.
1. Salvaging and Preparing the Wood
The wood Thomas used came from an old cot. This was a perfect source because cot slats and frames are usually smooth, sturdy, and already planed.
Choosing Your Wood
If you’re not using reclaimed cot wood, look for:
- Pine (historically accurate and easy to work with)
- Reclaimed pallet wood (adds rustic charm)
- A leftover shelf or plank
Cut your wood to the desired length. I cut a board roughly long enough to hold several door-handle pegs spaced evenly across.
Historical Note
In Little House on the Prairie, Pa often made use of whatever wood was available. Frontier families rarely bought lumber just to make storage items—they made do with scraps. Using reclaimed wood adds authenticity and ties directly into your Little House on the Prairie Unit Study.
2. Measuring and Marking the Peg Positions
Before drilling, mark where each peg (door handle) will go. Consistent spacing is important aesthetically and functionally.
For a long prairie peg rail:
- Space pegs 4–6 inches apart for children
- Space 6–10 inches apart for adult use
- Always leave a buffer at each end
Mark each point with a pencil.
Prairie Aesthetic Tip
Prairie peg rails were typically long and straight, running across entire walls. If you’re doing a Farmer Boy-themed room or playhouse wall, consider making multiple rails and stacking them vertically.
3. Drilling the Holes
For this project, Thomas used a 3.6-volt handheld screwdriver, a lightweight tool perfect for beginners and fitted it with a 4.5 mm drill bit. Of course, this isn’t entirely an 1800’s American tool, but we wanted to teach Thomas skills to take to his adulthood in 2000’s England!
Why this drill size?
Door handles usually have screws that require a moderate pilot hole. A 4.5 mm bit gives enough space for the screw to grip without splitting the wood.
Tips for Easy Drilling
- Clamp the wood or hold it firmly.
- Drill slowly—let the tool do the work.
- Keep the bit straight to avoid angled pegs.
Drilling the holes is the most technical step, but with a small electric screwdriver, it’s very manageable even for novices.
4. Screwing in the Door Handles (Your Pegs)
This is where your peg rail starts looking like an actual peg rail.
Why Door Handles?
They’re sturdy, rounded, and already designed to be pulled or weighted. They make surprisingly perfect pegs, and using them is a fantastic way to repurpose hardware.
Attaching the Handles
- Align each handle with its hole
- Use your screwdriver to tighten the screw securely
- Make sure each handle faces the right direction
When you’re finished, your rail will have a neat row of pegs ready for hanging clothing or props.
5. Staining and Preserving the Wood
Thomas finished his peg rail by dyeing it brown with wood preservative. This gives it the warm, rustic color that fits beautifully with the prairie aesthetic while also protecting the wood.
You can apply it using:
- A cloth
- A brush
- A sponge
Rub it in evenly. Let it dry completely.
Optional Finishes
- Beeswax polish (very historically accurate)
- A matte varnish
- A “distressed” sanding for a farmhouse look
The warm brown tone creates a Little House feel instantly.
6. Installing the Peg Rail
Once dry, your peg rail is ready to be fixed to the wall. This one has been hung in our Little House, perfect for hanging the nighties we made in week one.
To attach the rail:
- Screw directly through the board into wall studs, or
- Add hidden hanging hardware on the back
Make sure it’s level so the pegs hang properly.
Using Your Prairie Peg Rail in Learning and Play
Of course, this project is practical, but it’s also a powerful educational tool.
Here are ways to integrate it into your Little House on the Prairie Unit Study or a Farmer Boy-inspired learning environment:
1. Reenact Pioneer Routines
Children can hang:
- Bonnets
- Aprons
- Nightgowns
- Little cloth sacks (for marbles, herbs, toys)
Using the peg rail as part of imaginative play helps them step back into the 1800s.
2. Homestead Organization Lessons
You can talk about how families like the Ingalls and Wilders maintained order in their small homes. Something that is quite astounding given they had no cupboards, wardrobes or modern storage.
Let children help:
- Decide what the pegs should hold
- Keep belongings tidy
- Learn to care for their own spaces
3. Woodworking and Handcraft Skills
Building a peg rail teaches:
- Measurement
- Tool use
- Recycling materials
- Planning and design
- Hands-on craftsmanship
This ties perfectly to Farmer Boy, where Almanzo often helped his father with chores that required practical skill and responsibility.
4. Historical Storytelling
Hang objects that represent stories or themes:
- A lantern for “light in the darkness”
- A scarf for winter hardships
- A work apron for farm chores
- A bonnet for prairie life
Every item on the peg rail can spark discussion about pioneer history, literature, and daily survival.
Why This Project Feels So Meaningful
Making a prairie peg rail isn’t just a woodworking project. It’s a connection to the past, a small way to honor the simplicity and ingenuity of families who made the most out of what they had.
This project brings together:
- Heritage: Reflecting true prairie craftsmanship
- Sustainability: Using old cot wood and spare door handles
- Creativity: Designing your own rail
- Education: Perfect for unit studies
- Practicality: You end up with a useful storage piece
The fact that Thomas made the peg rail himself. And from salvaged materials, with simple tools. Well, it makes it feel even more meaningful. It’s something that would fit right in the homes described in Little House on the Prairie or Farmer Boy.
And now, it will hang in the playhouse, holding tiny nighties. Just as it might have held bonnets or aprons in a pioneer cabin.
Making a Prairie Peg Rail: Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a hands-on activity to enrich your Little House on the Prairie unit study, crafting a peg rail is one of the best projects you can choose. It encourages children (and adults!) to slow down, work with their hands, upcycle materials, and engage with history in a tangible, creative way.
From cutting the reclaimed wood to drilling holes with a simple 3.6-volt screwdriver, from screwing in the door-handle pegs to staining the rail brown, this project is approachable for beginners and satisfying for seasoned DIYers.
Best of all, your finished peg rail is something you’ll use daily. For it is a beautiful blend of pioneer practicality and modern sustainability.
For more activities please do visit my MEGA Little House on the Prairie Unit Study page, which contains all ten weeks of our summer building our own Little House on the Prairie!
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