Norwegian-American Bygdelagenes Fellesraad
- Lag Information Sheet -

About Valdres Samband:

The Valdres Samband is an organization comprised of descendants of immigrants from the Valdres Valley in Oppland County, Norway. The valley contains the municipalities of Vang, Vestre Slidre, Øystre Slidre, Nord-Aurdal, Sør-Aurdal and Etnedal. The Valdres Samband was the first Norwegian bygdelag, founded in 1899.

As the oldest and largest bygdelag we welcome you to join us in preserving the common genealogy, history and customs of Valdres. Be sure to visit our website at www.valdressamband.org and find us on Facebook. Our members now have access to our genealogy database at www.valdresgenealogy.com which consists of over 210,000 people as well as access to our many historic organizational documents and publications which have been digitized.

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President/Contact Person:

Mary (Gilbertson) Hendrickson

Valdres Samband
8014 Olson Memorial Highway #263
Golden Valley MN 55427

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Contact's Email:

Click Here

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Lag Membership:

Eric Western
Click Here

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Membership Email:

Click Here

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Lag Web Site:

https://www.valdressamband.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/367887227045/

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Lag Genealogist:

Tom Standal
1340 Unity Avenue South
Golden Valley, MN 55422

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Genealogist's Email:

Click Here

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Lag Treasurer:

Eric Western

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Treasurer's Email:

Click Here

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Lag Newsletter:

Budstikken 1970-present (formerly known as the Valdres Helsing: 1903-1910)

OCLC: WorldCat: Budstikken (where you can find libraries that carry back issues)

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Newsletter's Editor:

Lars Walker

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Editor's Email:

Click Here

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Stevne Information:

- We will meet June 12-13, 2026 at Saving Grace Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, Wisconsin (3735 Jeffers Road).

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Links:

Links unique to the Valdres Samband

Facebook Valdres Samband - oldest bygdelag in America

Valdres Samband website

Valdres Genealogy . com

The Valdris Book: A Manuel of the Valdres Samband by Andrew A. Veblen - 1920

Find A Grave: Valdres Valley - Norway

Find A Grave: Valdres Samband Members

Valdres Samband 'links page'

Archives are in collection P0465 at Norwegian American Historical Association (NAHA) Finding Aid. Records are found in Box #1 (3 folders); Box 2, 3, 4, and 5 (1 folder in each)

Links to specific websites, based in Norway

The National Archives of Norway
http://www.arkivverket.no/en/about-us/the-national-archives-of-norway

Nasjonalbiblioteket (National Library of Norway)
http://www.nb.no/search?mediatype=aviser

Norway's parishes (interactive map)
http://www.norwayparishes.com/#

Cemeteries in Norway (similar to Find A Grave)
http://www.disnorge.no/gravminner/index.php?language=engelsk

Norwegian Biographical Lexicon (NBL), is Norway's biographical reference book
https://nbl.snl.no/

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