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IN HONOR OF MINNESOTA'S SESQUICENTENNIAL
NORWEGIAN STATEHOOD PIONEER PROJECT
There are more people who claim Norwegian heritage in Minnesota than in any
other state, but most Norwegian immigrants came after the Civil War. This
project seeks to acknowledge the pathfinder Norwegian immigrants who were
here when the state was born, and offer information about the early immigrants
and their significance both to the development of Minnesota's institutions
and culture and as the foundation upon which successive waves of Norwegian
immigrants built their new lives.
Each participating organization has agreed to publish one or more articles about Norwegian settlements and/or settlers in Minnesota in the 1850's. These articles will remind their memberships about the Sesquicentennial and inform them about the Norwegian settlements in Minnesota at the time of statehood. As a thank-you for their participation, each organization will receive a Sesquicentennial medallion.
The project's Recognition Program creates a personal connection to the project and Minnesota history. Descendant-applicants will receive a wooden plaque in the shape of Minnesota that includes an engraved plate bearing the name of their Pioneer Ancestor. Their shape alone will indelibly connect the stories of these pioneer ancestors with the history of the state of Minnesota for those who hold them for generations to come.
In October, a Sesquicentennial gathering will be held in Rochester that will celebrate the contributions of Norwegian-Minnesotans to the state's development. The afternoon celebration will include recognition of Pioneer Ancestors, interesting educational displays, music, and remarks that make the past come alive and inform the future. An evening banquet will bring the day's activities to a close with good food, conversation, and entertainment. Through displays, presentations, music and remarks, the afternoon program and evening banquet should help create an understanding for and sense of pride in the unique history shared by Norwegian-Minnesotans.
In November, the project will publish a Heritage Book that will include all of the articles printed in participating organization newsletters, the biographies and photos submitted with Recognition applications, and photos and a recap of the October Sesquicentennial Celebration. Not only the first Norwegian-Minnesotans, but also those who come together 150 years later will be remembered in this special volume.
The Norwegian Statehood Pioneer Project looks back at the beginnings of the State of Minnesota and considers its ethnic forebearers in the context of the state's pioneer past. The historical articles published by participating organizations will put the first Norwegian-Minnesotans in the context of the larger immigrant community and the state as a whole. The recognition program personalizes the project by recognizing the individuals who were here and providing a keepsake that will remind generations to come of the connection between their family history and the history of the state. The gathering in October brings the past into the present as we celebrate 150 years of our heritage as both Norwegians and Minnesotans. The Heritage Book will bring together the stories, photos, and memories captured in the pioneer biographies and newsletter articles, and acknowledge the value placed on this history by those who attend the October Sesquicentennial Celebration.
Visit our website Help
us celebrate the Sesquicentennial and honor the contributions of Norwegian-Americans
to the Great State of Minnesota in 2008!
