Willa Cather came to Nebraska from Virginia in 1883 when she was nine years old. The few years that she lived in Red Cloud, Nebraska would become for her the most transformative and informative years of her life. In a personal interview, Cather said: "I think that most of the basic material a writer works with is acquired before the age of fifteen. That's the important period: when one's not writing. Those years determine whether one's work will be poor and thin or rich and fine." Upon entering this living memorial, fans of Cather walk into her world, and begin to understand the makings of her artistry.