The connection between Norway and North-America
Norwegian migrated in search of a better future. On the memorial stone for the Norwegian emigration to North America several years are highlighted; year 1000 for the Norse discovery of Vinland, 1492 for the Columbus voyage, 1776 for the American War of Independence and 1865, the year when the civil war ended and mass immigration from Norway accelerated.
The Norse monument
Norwegians set out across wild and dangerous seas, and new Norse communities were founded. Norwegian emigration to islands such as Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Shetland, Orkney, the Hebrides and Man has been a central part of Nordic history. In Norse times, these islands were for several centuries the destination for Norwegian emigrants, who in turn have left a lasting mark on the culture and society in these regions. The Norwegians brought with them language, culture and traditions that formed the basis of today's society.
99th Infantry battalion
The memorial stone over the 99th Infantry Batallion (Separate) was unveiled on 6 July 1997. It tells the story of The Viking Batallion, a separate American battalion during World War II where the command language was Norwegian.
The War Sailor Monument
This memorial monument has been erected in memory of the war sailors who were sailing the world seas during the Second World War. It is a homage to all war sailors in the Norwegian merchant fleet and other war veterans who defended their home country, freedom and civilization during the Second World War 1939-1945, and who later settled abroad.
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MInnestein, Præriepresten,
The Pioneer Minister
The carpenter - The sailor - The priest
Ole Ivarson Sætre was a prominent figure in Norwegian church history as a prairie priest in North Dakota, USA. He was born in Norway in the 19th century and emigrated to America to seek a new start and to spread the Christian message among the Norwegian immigrants who had settled on the prairie.
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Vestnorsk Utvandringssenter
Norwegian-American Skiing Pioneers
Many of the Norwegians who emigrated to America were skilled skiers and were well acquainted with the Norwegian skiing tradition. Through Norwegian winter sports, skiing and skating, the Norwegian-American community had something to offer that excited the competitive American audience.The Norwegians helped lay the foundation for the American sport of skiing, and we can find some of them on the memorial monument at the Emigration Centre