For the Norwegian American community in the Midwest, planning for Crossings began in 2017 at Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, Iowa. What started as a small conversation grew into a coalition of more than thirty organizations. This "umbrella" group supported partners in commemorating the bicentennial in ways fitting to their specific missions. Vesterheim and the Norwegian American Historical Association (NAHA) shared responsibility for calling the meetings, with The Norwegian American newspaper hosting the website and Norway House serving as fiscal agent.
A Year of Commemoration
The spirit of collaboration between Norwegians and North Americans was instrumental to the planning. A transatlantic subcommittee developed the shared Crossings identity, which linked a an array of events across the country, including:
● The opera Giants in the Earth performed by the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
● A tour by His Majesty the King’s Guard 3rd Company to the East Coast and Midwest.
● The “Crossings and Connections” conference at St. Olaf College, co-hosted by NAHA, NAHA-Norge, and NORTANA.
● The “Crossings and Crossroads” symposium at Brigham Young University, exploring the history of the Intermountain West.
● Comprehensive exhibits and programming at Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, Iowa.
● A 50th-anniversary jubilee planned for the Norwegian Society of Texas, focused on the journey from Norway to Clifton, Texas.
● A dinner and educational events on Oct. 9 at Seattle’s Leif Erikson Lodge and a weekend of crafting at the National Nordic Museum.
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The Crown Prince studying the photographs and film from Campbell Norsgaard who served as the official photographer and filmmaker for the Royal Norwegian Air Force in-exile in Canada. Many of the photos and films show the current King of Norway with his family. Steven Garcia, St. Olaf College.
A central highlight was the Midwest visit of HRH Crown Prince Haakon and his delegation, who visited Decorah, Northfield, and the Twin Cities in early October. The delegation then traveled to New York City on October 9, when the replica of the sloop Restauration arrived to great fanfare, thanks largely to planning by the Norwegian Embassy and Consulate General in New York. The vessel’s arrival in Manhattan served as a powerful reminder of the enduring bond between our countries.
While the major festivities have concluded, the work of documenting this shared history continues. NAHA welcomes materials, both digital and physical, related to the bicentennial in North America. To learn more:
Steven Garcia, St. Olaf College.
The Norwegian Storting/Parliament on the Saint Olaf College campus. The photo (L-R) shows Willfred Nordlund and Bård Ludvig Thorheim looking at Lille Norge Avisen which was part of NAHA’s Camp Little Norway Association collection digitized for the association’s World War II digitization project.
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The group from the Crossings and Connections Conference. Steven Garcia, St. Olaf College.
Beyond the Bicentennial
NAHA now looks ahead with a focus on access, engagement, and community connection. A major milestone will be the move into a new destination reading room, designed to better welcome researchers, students, and visitors while showcasing the richness of NAHA’s archival collections.