HARDANGER LAG

Archived Notes From Previous Stevne

Stevne 2018

or...

what you missed if you weren't there

Wednesday gave attendees the opportunity to research from 9-4 at the Douglas Historical Society. A few mis-understood, thinking our Lag genealogy resources were available during those hours, but turned the time into an opportunity to shop area stores, particularly any with a Scandinavian theme. Lag genealogy tables and vendors began setting up in the afternoon in a shared space at the hotel, giving a fortunate few the opportunity to get an early start on research or collecting souvenirs.

Thursday morning began with a program titled 'Runestone and Museum Overview' by Amanda Seim. Using experience in archeology, nonprofits and business management; Amanda, after a 20 year absence, has returned to her home state and is executive director of the Runestone Museum. Her presentation was followed by Gary Lund speaking on 'The Life of Knute Nelson'. Gary has served 4 terms on the board of directors for the Douglas County Historical Society and considers it a privilege to learn and share about the people involved in historical events. (Do you know Knute Nelson was elected to the Wisconsin & Minnesota legislatures, was elected to the US House of Representatives and Senate, was the 12th Governor of Minnesota? Many were convinced this politically influential man born in Voss Norway could have been US President but for his not being US born.) Activities were planned for those not taking the bus tour, but both morning sessions gave us a great background for the tour that afternoon. We visitors saw the always improving Runestone Museum, the Douglas Co Historical Society in Knute Nelson's former home and Runestone Park. At Runestone Park we had the chance to see the location of the Runestone's discovery in 1898 by Swedish immigrant Olof Ohman. Then we were served a tasty buffet meal at the Park's recently opened visitor center. After returning to the hotel, attendees gathered for lag pictures. Then some interested gals attended the first of their several lessons in Hardangersom.

Friday began with Fellesraad President Elaine Hasleton sharing interesting and enjoyable stories of having grown up in Alexandria. Tom Standal of Valdres Samband began the Opening Ceremonies with the call of the lur. Tamra Foster of Sunnfjordlag directed the Memorial Service, during which a flower is placed in a vase for each of the members deceased in the past year. Hardangerlag had several present or past members included. Taryn Flolid, a retired teacher and genealogy research volunteer at the Douglas County Historical Society, gave an informative presentation on 'Post Civil War Homesteaders in West Central Minnesota.' Special activities were held for children on Friday afternoon, led by Rebecca Wood of Valdres Samband. At the same time, others were listening to Paul Rolvaag, grandson of author Ole Rolvaag, talk on 'The Rolvaag Legacy". Born in Norway but raised in Minnesota, Paul has maintained an interest in Norwegian history and the migration to America, both of which his grandfather felt important. Presentations to the membership on Friday afternoon ended with Darin Flansberg of Valdres Samband, a computer programmer/software engineer who is passionate about genealogy, giving his interesting presentation on 'Genealogy Technology'.

For several days volunteers led by Darin & Lisa Flanberg of Valdres Samband kept the hospitality room operating with hot, fresh coffee, home-made eats and fresh baked Norwegian heart waffles. Kudos to all who brought treats to be shared. Vendor booths seemed busy whenever I looked toward their end of the room. Did everyone buy an early Christmas gift or two? And how about that silent auction? Competition for some of those items was intense.

Our banquet Friday began with the bunad style show and ended with the enjoyable duo of Renee Vaughan & Ann Larson entertaining with Scandinavian stories and tunes on the Swedish Nikelharpa and Accordion. Their music continued after the banquet had ended. Stevne was winding down. Lag meetings held Saturday morning preceded our lunch and our phrases of 'Farewell 'til next year, 2019'.

2017

The Wednesday night bonus was a Beginning Genealogy Class. These helpful sessions can also help those who aren't beginners. Our Lag genealogy tables and the vendor booths shared one large room & were set up and operating from Wed evening until mid-Friday afternoon. Genealogists helped researchers by using their computers & the various lag libraries. A fortunate few listened to impromptu & informative presentations by some Lag genealogists. Shoppers took advantage of the opportunity to purchase useful and/or decorative items from one or several or all vendors.

Thursday morning was busy with interesting and educational programs 'Interpreting DNA Results' by Dixie Hanson and 'Norwegian Immigration and the Dakota Conflict' presented by Minnesota state Rep. Dean Urdahl. Dixie focused on autosomal DNA tests & what a person will or won't learn from the results. She shared her personal experience when comparing the cousin-finding tools of the major US testing services. Rep. Urdahl has an educational and political background & has most recently authored four historical fiction books, set against the backdrop of the Dakota War in 1862.

Thursday afternoon attendees had several choices. One choice included a tour of the MN History Center Museum, a guided tour of the recently renovated MN state Capitol Building and a guided tour of railroad magnate James J Hill's mansion & family home on Summit Ave. Other attendees chose an afternoon of research at the MN History Center library & archives. Some of our group skipped these other options and stayed in to watch movies.

While trying to find the best time for individual Lag pictures, a decision was made & pictures were taken after the buses returned to the Convention Center. The plan for next year is to again take Lag pictures before the Thursday evening meal.

I didn't dare go to Amy Marquard's lefse making demonstration of her one-hour lefse held Thursday evening since I can't control myself when near fresh, warm lefse.

This year's hospitality room was fantastic, a nice-sized area, convenient for all. Thanks to those who provided the delicious treats. We could even have Norwegian waffles with sour cream and preserves, fresh off the volunteer baker's griddle. Excellent job people!

Friday morning began with an always enthusiastic Bruce Weaver and his interesting presentation titled 'Viking Era Artifacts'. Our Opening Ceremonies began with the call of the lur followed by the official welcome. The Memorial Service lets us remember the Lag members who are no longer with us. Dr. Byron Nordstrom gave the program 'Hand me a Chisel! The Norwegian Rushmore Imagined'. Retired after 35 years at Gustavus Adolphus College, he called upon his extensive background to imagine Norwegian Rushmore as collections of authors, musicians, politicians or women. The audience participated, adding more names to his categories and creating even more categories.

The Friday afternoon programs began with 'Saving & Identifying your Old Family Photos' by Linda Heen. Haven't we all got the box of old photos we don't know much about, but we don't want to discard? The second program was author John Yilek sharing excerpts from his most recent book 'Stories of Norway'. Do you remember the tune 'Oleana' he taught us?

Award-winning, rosemaler Shirley Evanstad taught a rosemaling class before the bunad parade. Attendees wearing their bunader shared their Norwegian styles with us Friday evening. After another delicious meal at the North Metro Event Center in Shoreview, we enjoyed the talented Peer Gynt Dancers. Chartered in1981, the group of 22 dancers, meets every month for rehearsals and cultural activities in addition to several performances around our country.

Valdres Samband organized activities for the young people attending stevne. In addition to the choice of going along on Thursday's bus tour, the youngsters could learn Norwegian dance taught by the Peer Gynt Dancers, take a lesson in making 1-hour lefse from Amy Marquard of Foley MN, do Norwegian craftsor listen to stories taking place in Norway.

We hope more families will encourage young people of all ages to attend stevne. The young people's attendance might be the beginning of an interest, an interest ensuring our Lag organizations will continue for yet another century.

Planning has begun for the 2018 Stevne to be held June 14-16 at the Holiday Inn in Alexandria MN. Be sure to save those dates on your calendar so you can attend Stevne 2018. We hope to see you there.

This slightly-edited article was originally printed in the Fall 2017 issue of Hardanger Hilsen., the subscription only newsletter of Hardangerlag. The minutes of our Hardangerlag annual meeting were included in the Summer 2017 issue of Vestlandet, the newletter sent to all members of Vestlandslag.

2016

The 'early bird' special this year was a class for genealogy newbies on Wednesday evening. Then the Lag genealogy resources & genealogists were available to researchers for almost 20 hours total on Thursday & Friday.

Everyone was able to window shop and/or make purchases of the varied Norwegian & Scandinavian themed items at the vendor booths. Books of all types, antiques, jewelry, clothing & rosemaled objects were just some of the items leaving the vendor room with their happy, new owners.

As always, the hospitality room served excellent coffee and tasty treats. Thanks so much to the hostesses who made the best of a less- than-ideal arrangement in the location you were assigned. I know we all did our best to eat as many goodies as possible so the hosts wouldn't have to deal with leftovers. Wink!

The ambitious bus tour on Thursday gave us a chance to see quite a few of the preserved & restored historical sites that contain evidence of our Norwegian ancestors who lived (and died) in the Willmar area. Can you imagine your family hiding for days on a small island in a lake, hoping to escape notice of marauding Indians? Have you read the story of local heroine Guri Endreson, an emigrant from Hardanger, on our Hardangerlag page at Fellesraad.com ? We saw Guri's resting place in the Vikor Church Cemetery, adjacent to the church which she, her family and other Hardanger emigrants (ancestors of some of our Lag members) attended. The tour ended with a delicious meal at Green Lake Bible Camp by Spicer.

On Thursday Jim Olson shared interesting details on deaths, cemeteries & funerals in Norway and Dr. John Christianson spoke on the different reasons our immigrant ancestors left Norway.

Before our Opening Ceremony on Friday morning, Jean Marthaler gave us the opportunity to learn how to use the internet when doing genealogy. Some attendees wished for a handout of web addresses for the sites she used. Hint?

The call of the lur summoned us to the Opening Ceremony and the gracious welcome given by the Willmar Mayor, Marv Calvin. Several Vestlandslag & Valdres Samband members were honored during the memorial service. Three programs on Friday included “Huset Doctors from Holla” by Jeffrey Huset; a detailed history of the 15th Wisconsin Infantry, aka the Norwegian Regiment, in the Civil War shared by the enthusiastic Valdres Samband President Bruce Weaver; and Norwegian Dialects with live, spoken demonstrations by area residents Marilyn Gerhardson, Eunice Sanders, Maxine Medalin, Ernest A. Anderson, Colleen and Bruce Peterson.

Various bunad from both the Vestlands & Valdres areas were shown during the style show which preceded the Friday evening banquet. After a delicious meal we watched a presentation by our new Fellesraad President Elaine Hasleton. This was an expansion of the Lag Charter Member/Present Member Project begun for the Fellesraad Centennial. Then we were entertained by the multi-talented members of the Kingery Family with their Bluegrass & Gospel Singing. The extended family of 18, if all participate in a show, is led by Mike Kingery, who retired from professional baseball after 10 years in the majors, and his wife Chris. All family members played a variety of instruments, with even the youngest children displaying their vocal & instrumental talents.

Individual Lags held their annual meetings during two sessions on Saturday morning. Attendees made a last ditch effort to finish off the goodies from the hospitality room. (Thanks so much to all who contributed to the assortment.) We adjourned this year's stevne at the end of the Vestlandlag Annual Meeting. The noon lunch that followed gave us a chance to say, “Good-bye & hope to see you in Shoreview next year” to our friends, both new and long-time.

This is an edited version of an article submitted by Hardangerlag and printed in the Summer 2016 issue of Vestlandet, the newsletter sent to all members of Vestlandslag.

2015

This was our first year for Hardangerlag, as part of Vestlandslag, to participate in a combined stevne with Valdres Samband. As a result, we had opportunity to participate in Valdres' silent auction and other new activities, including our having the chance to meet 'new' Norwegians.

Early arrivals to stevne had the option of attending Wednesday evening's "Summertime by George." A free concert was enjoyed in Eastman Park near Lake George, after taking advantage of rides on the free trolley provided by the city of St. Cloud.

Our Lag Genealogist, Laurel, used Lag resources while aiding researchers on Thursday & Friday. Jean Marthaler answered our genealogy questions during a scheduled session on Friday.

The bus tour on Thursday delivered us first to the Stearns County Museum and second to the Munsinger and Clemens Gardens. At the Museum, we saw exhibits on the effects of water use and the introduction of electricity. Both aided St. Cloud in the city's joining the industrial revolution. Locally quarried granite has been used in buildings across the US. Local resident, Sam Pandolfo, made motor cars at his Pan Motor Company for three years before his fall and sentence to prison. Visits to the extensive and beautiful Gardens along the Mississippi River were a unique and pleasing experience.

The call of the lur welcomed attendees to Opening Ceremonies on Thursday. We were welcomed by St. Cloud Mayor Kleis and Honorary Consul General Gary Ganrud. "Beyond the Deep Blue Sea", his most recent book, was the subject chosen by our speaker, the esteemed, Odd Lovoll. Autographed copies of his book were available for sale after the Ceremonies ended.

In addition to visits to the hospitality room for coffee and delicious Norwegian treats, we listened and watched other enjoyable, informative sessions during the two days of stevne.

Retired teacher LaVern Christianson (who MAY be a descendant of the Viking King, Harald Hardråda) portrayed the Viking King telling his 'own' story. Based on Viking sagas and historical documents, 'Harald's' story includes his adventures as part of St. Olaf's army and as leader of the Varangian Guard. We learned of Harald's role in history, including his failed attempt to win the throne of England.

Dixie Hansen spoke on the latest trends in DNA testing and reporting for genealogical purposes. The major testing services each have their own ways of showing results and links to possible cousins. The testing can reveal much to us.

A rosemaling class was taught by Shirley Evenstad who began rosemaling in 1977. Having studied with master teachers in Norway and at Vesterheim, she won the Gold Medal for her rosemaling in 1983 from Vesterheim.

Jan Christiansen Smith entertained us with her story of "In the Beginning of Time-Norse Life 1000 AD". Dressed in appropriate costume for the time period of her stories, Shirley interacts with the listeners who become part of the story as they listen.

President of Valdres Samband, Bruce Weaver, shared his slide show of "Norwegian's Journey in Immigrating to America".

There were Travelogue presentations on both Thursday and Friday.

Vendors welcomed us to their 'goodie' filled booths, with Scandinavian themed items available for our viewing and purchasing pleasure.

Planned activities for children included swimming, t-shirt painting, a pajama party and a 'cook and bake' that included a show & tell and learning a few Norwegian words and phrases.

On Friday evening, our banquet began with our continued tradition, the bunad parade. Following a delicious meal, we were entertained by the music and humor of Earl Evenstad and Art Bjornjeld. After some encouragement, couples came away from their tables and danced a few dances.

Saturday morning we had two sessions of individual lags meetings, before joining together for the Vestlandslag Annual Meeting. During the Vestlandslag meeting, there was a favorable response to the possibility of repeating our combined Valdres Samband/Vestlandslag stevne in 2016.

2014

The early birds' activity Wednesday evening was a car-pooled ride to Kaukauna to tour the Grignon Mansion. This beautiful link to Wisconsin's heritage is restored to the time period 1837-1862, when the original owner lived in it. His Grignon family was involved in the area's fur trade for over 100 years and Charles took over the 70 year old trading post here in 1830. Our evening's tour concluded with a visit to the Dutch Windmill in Little Chute. The wooden smock windmill was built by carpenters from the Netherlands as a tribute to the Dutch heritage of the village and of the surrounding Fox River Valley.

June 19-21. Paper Valley Hotel. Appleton Wisconsin. Hardanger lag attended with the 8 other Lags of Vestlandslag. Registration began and the hospitality room opened Thursday morning before individual lag meetings. The vendor booths & genealogists tables opened at noon for those interested. Our afternoon and evening included a tour of local museums and a dinner buffet. Participants had an opportunity to make their own sheet of paper while we all learned of the process and associated industries during our tour of Fox Valley's Paper Discovery Center adjacent to the Fox River in Appleton. Although born in Budapest, Hungary, Harry Houdini spent a portion of his early years in Appleton. At the History Museum at the Castle, a former Masonic Temple, one of the exhibits gave visitors the opportunity to try their skill with props from several of Houdini's illusions. The Hearthstone Historic House Museum is the first home completely powered by electricity using the Edison system. A central hydro-electric plant supplied power to two businesses and this home. Original wiring & fixtures are still in use in this museum which emphasizes its Edison heritage. The tour ended with a delicious buffet of chicken & an abundance of delicious, homemade side dishes served in the 1000 Islands Environmental Center at Kaukauna. Our group enjoyed the educational displays and the many mounted birds & animals from North America, Asia & Africa in the Center while awaiting our meal. Some took time for a trek on the boardwalk paths along the Fox River before we returned to our hotel.

Genealogy, shopping with vendors & the hospitality room were some of 'the happenings' that continued Friday. Blaine Hedberg & Jean Marthaler were generous with genealogy answers before our Opening Ceremony and memorial service. Diane Hasseltvn Dinter spoke on Iola-Scandinavia- a nearby settlement. After lunch, speakers Marv & Louise Long entertained & educated us with 2 sessions "The Good Ship Hannah Parr- Its Voyage and Its Legacy" and "The Scottish Invasion of Norway & the battle of Kringen". The bunad parade and banquet ended our day with entertainment by the Christina & Al Muenchow group, a musical ensemble.

Saturday morning was filled with shopping at vendors booths, genealogy and enjoying treats in the hospitality room. Interested attendees enjoyed Tom Sutter and his "Visual Trip to Old Norway" and Kari Bye with her "Tale of Two Continents". Our Vestlandslag annual meeting was held early afternoon & stevne ended with the closing ceremony.

2013

Our Vestlandslag stevne was held June 20th thru the 22nd at the Bigwood Event Center & Best Western, Falls Inn & Suites in Fergus Falls Minnesota. Genealogy with Lag genealogists and resources (including wireless internet access) was available both Thursday and Friday. Blaine Hedberg and Jean Marthaler were available to answer your genealogy questions Friday morning.

Stevne included greetings from Fergus Falls' Mayor, seven speakers presented five programs, a guided bus tour of the area that included dinner at Battle Lake, a memorial service, and a video of Brampton Church moving to Sletta. The bunad style show and the banquet were Friday evening with a 5-piece Blue Grass Band entertaining. Saturday morning the individual lags held their meetings followed by The Vestlandslag Annual Meeting & Stevne Closing. Various vendor booths were open from 8 - 3 pm Thursday & 8 - 3:30 Friday.

And a bonus for this stevne!!! On Wednesday June 19, we had the Otter Tail County Historical Museum Genealogy Library open from 9-5. Guided group tours of the museum were that evening, followed by a walking Mystery Tour of Downtown Fergus Falls led by Chris Schwelke, Executive Director of the Historical Society. Several Hardangerlag members took scripted 'speaking parts' during the informative, entertaining, and, sometimes humorous Mystery Tour.

2012

One hundred and one years since Hardanger Lag was organized and Vestlandlaget Stevne was enjoyed June 21st through the 23rd at the Days Inn Hotel & Convention Center, La Crosse Wisconsin. Individual Lag genealogists were busy helping researchers with their genealogy questions. Blaine Hedberg & Jean Marthaler held a genealogy question and answer session for an hour on Friday. Patronizing vendor booths, enjoying programs & speakers and attending a memorial service kept us busy during the daytimes. Thursday evening we enjoyed a tour, dinner & entertainment at Norskedalen. Friday evening the bunad parade preceeded the banquet and the Wergeland Dancers provided entertainment after the meal. Saturday morning we held our Hardangerlag meeting and regretfully accepted resignations from Peder Pederson, Treasurer & Ruth Jensen, Director. Carolyn Bondhus was chosen Treasurer & Rhonda Smerchek was chosen as Director, with all others to continue in their offices. The beautiful Rosemaled plate our Lag received from Fellesraad for our 100th anniversary continued its journey through our Lag officers homes when President, Don Tiegen (the past year's custodian) handed it over to Vice-President & Assistant Genealogist, James Oakland to enjoy for the coming year. Stevne concluded after the combined lags held their Vestlandslag meeting.