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83-524: Slack was born in Westby, Wisconsin , United States. He learned to play drums as a boy. Later he took up the xylophone, and at the age of 13 he changed to the piano. He studied with a local teacher throughout high school. At the age of 17, he moved with his parents to Chicago , where he continued his musical training. He met Rosy McHargue , a well-known clarinetist, who took him to hear many leading musicians, including Bix Beiderbecke and Earl Hines . His first job

166-597: A 14-week journey. The ship landed in New York City, where it was at first impounded for exceeding its passenger limit. After intervention from President John Quincy Adams , the passengers moved on to settle in Kendall, New York with the help of Andreas Stangeland , witnessing the opening of the Erie Canal en route. After making the journey to Kendall, Cleng Peerson became a traveling emissary for Norwegian immigrants and died in

249-514: A Norwegian Settlement near Cranfills Gap , Texas in 1865. The descendants of these immigrants are referred to as " Sloopers ", in reference to the sloop ship that brought them from Norway. Many of the 1825 immigrants moved on from the Kendall Settlement in the mid-1830s, settling in Illinois and Wisconsin . These "Sloopers" gave impetus to the westward movement of Norwegians by founding

332-777: A Norwegian lutheran identity today. Luther College , located in Decorah, Iowa was founded by Norwegian immigrants in 1861 and is today associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota is also associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and was founded by Norwegian settlers in 1891. Other Norwegian Lutheran colleges include: Augsburg University , Augustana College , Bethany Lutheran College , Pacific Lutheran University , St. Olaf College , and Waldorf College . Use of

415-403: A Norwegian-American journalist recorded that "A newcomer from Norway who arrives here will be surprised indeed to find in the heart of the country, more than a thousand miles from his landing place, a town where language and way of life so unmistakably remind him of his native land." This sentiment was expressed frequently as the immigrants attempted to seek acceptance and negotiate entrance into

498-417: A certain amount of interaction with a larger commercial environment, from working for an American farmer to doing business with the seed dealer, the banker, and the elevator operator. Products had to be grown and sold—all of which pulled Norwegian farmers into social contact with their American neighbors. Norwegian-American debating societies provided opportunities for immigrants to discuss and debate issues of

581-660: A consequence, no fewer than 14 Lutheran synods were founded by Norwegian immigrants between 1846 and 1900. In 1917 most of the factions reconciled doctrinal differences and organized the Norwegian Lutheran Church in America . It was one of the church bodies that in 1960 formed the American Lutheran Church , which in 1988 became a constituent part of the newly created Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . Several Lutheran colleges and higher education institutions were founded by Norwegian Americans, which retain

664-464: A new holiday of patriotic celebration. In American popular culture, Norwegian Americans were the central characters in the popular CBS network television series, Mama (1949–1956). Set in San Francisco around 1900, the weekly program focused on working-class family life. They also form the background to Garrison Keillor 's " Lake Wobegon " series of novels as well as A Prairie Home Companion ,

747-650: A radio variety show that contains much humorous material from the "Norwegian American Midwest". According to a 2018 paper, Norwegian immigrants who lived in large ethnic enclaves in the United States in the 1910 and 1920 "had lower occupational earnings, were more likely to be in farming occupations, and were less likely to be in white-collar occupations." Today, the traditions practiced by Norwegian Americans are distinct from those practiced in modern-day Norway. Norwegian Americans are primarily descendants of 19th or early 20th century working class and rural Norwegians, and

830-628: A settlement in the Fox River area of Illinois . A small urban colony of Norwegians had its genesis in Chicago at about the same time. While about 65 Norwegians emigrated via Sweden and elsewhere in the intervening years, no emigrant ships left Norway for the New World until the 1836 departures of the Den Norske Klippe and Norden . In 1837, a group of immigrants from Tinn emigrated via Gothenburg to

913-499: A silver medal in the slalom race. Eriksen was the first skier from outside the Alps to win an Olympic men's alpine gold medal. He also won three gold medals at the 1954 World Championships in Åre , Sweden , and a bronze medal at the 1950 World Championships in Aspen, Colorado . Shortly after his success in the 1952 Olympics, Eriksen moved to America where he continues to live. He worked as

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996-463: Is also a Co-op, is Accelerated Genetics , formerly Tri-State Breeders. It produces cattle semen for artificial insemination . Tobacco was formerly an important crop, Vernon County tobacco being used for the outer wrapper for cigars, with 120 employed in the tobacco warehouse in the 1930s. Westby is served by a weekly newspaper, the Westby Times . The Norwegian flavor of the town is captured in

1079-474: Is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ) is water. As of the census of 2020 , the population was 2,332. The population density was 868.2 inhabitants per square mile (335.2/km ). There were 1,033 housing units at an average density of 384.6 per square mile (148.5/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 95.2% White , 0.6% Asian , 0.2% Black or African American , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 0.3% from other races , and 3.6% from two or more races. Ethnically,

1162-452: Is not known. In the period that followed, many of the original Norwegian settlers in the area remained, including the family of Pieter Van Brugh , a colonial mayor of Albany , who was the grandson of early Norwegian immigrants. Many immigrants during the early 1800s sought religious freedom. From the mid-1800s however, the driving forces behind Norwegian immigration to the United States were agricultural disasters which led to poverty , from

1245-468: Is noted for his work in physics. In engineering, Clayton Jacobson II is credited with the invention of the modern personal watercraft . Ole Singstad was a pioneer of underwater tunnels. Ole Evinrude invented the first outboard motor with practical commercial application, recognizable today on modern motorboats . Astronaut Deke Slayton was the docking module pilot for the Apollo–Soyuz mission,

1328-615: Is relatively secular, Norwegian-Americans are among the most religious ethnic groups in the United States, with 90% acknowledging a religious affiliation in 1998. Because membership to the State Church was mandatory until the 19th century in Norway, all ethnic Norwegians have traditionally been Lutheran. Today, many Norwegian Americans remain Lutheran, though significant numbers converted to other Christian denominations. Some Norwegians immigrated to

1411-770: The Ballard , a district Seattle heavily settled by Scandinavian immigrants, serves as a community gathering place. The Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa is the largest museum in the United States dedicated to the experiences of a single immigrant population and has an extensive collection of Norwegian-American artifacts. Chapel in the Hills is an exact replica of the Borgund stave church in Norway, located in Rapid City, South Dakota . The church's site also maintains other period typical historical buildings. Although today Norway

1494-622: The Bardahl company, Conrad Nicholson Hilton was the founder of the Hilton Hotels chain, Kenneth Harry Olsen co-founded Digital Equipment Corporation , James Trane and Reuben Trane founded Trane Inc. , N. O. Nelson was the founder of the N. O. Nelson Manufacturing Co. and Alfred M. Moen founded Moen Incorporated . Gary Kildall , creator of the CP/M operating system , founded Digital Research in 1974. In sports, Knute Rockne became one of

1577-591: The European Potato Failure of the 1840s to the Famine of 1866–68 . The agricultural revolution also put farmers out of work and pushed them to seek employment in a more industrialized America. The earliest immigrants from Norway to America emigrated mostly for religious motives, especially as members of the Religious Society of Friends or as Haugeans . To a great extent, this early emigration from Norway

1660-505: The Fox River Settlement , near present-day Sheridan, Illinois . It was the writings of Ole Rynning , who traveled to the U.S. on the Ægir in 1837 that energized Norwegian immigration, however. Throughout much of the latter part of the 19th century and into the 20th century, a vast majority of Norwegian emigration to both the United States and Canada followed a route commonly shared by most Swedish, Danish and Finnish emigrants of

1743-638: The Homestead Act of 1862 promised fertile, flat land. As a result, settlement trended westward with each passing year. The majority of Norwegian agrarian settlements developed in the northern region of the so-called Homestead Act Triangle between the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. Early Norwegian settlements were in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Illinois, but moved westward into Wisconsin, Minnesota , and

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1826-550: The Maguire Act of 1895 and the White Act of 1898 , ended corporal punishment and abolished imprisonment for deserting a vessel. The Seamen's Act of 1915 included all these and was his main project. Minnesota Democratic Senators Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale served as the 38th and 42nd vice presidents of the United States, respectively, and were nominees for president in 1968 and 1984, respectively. Earl Warren of California

1909-515: The New York Dolls and Don Dokken of the heavy metal band Dokken have Norwegian ancestry. Paul Waaktaar-Savoy of the synth pop band a-ha is Norwegian, having been born and raised in Oslo . He is a naturalized American citizen and has homes in both Oslo and New York City. In journalism, Eric Sevareid , was a well-known a CBS reporter and commentator. In literature, Ole Edvart Rølvaag wrote about

1992-734: The Norse-American Centennial celebration was held at the Minnesota State Fair . A number of towns in the United States, particularly in the Upper Midwest , are known for their display of Norwegian heritage, including: Stoughton, Wisconsin ; Sunburg, Minnesota ; Ulen, Minnesota ; and Westby, Wisconsin . Starbuck, Minnesota is known to produce the largest lefse in the world. Other regions known for their Norwegian heritage or origins include: Norge, Virginia ; Petersburg, Alaska ; Poulsbo, Washington ; and Lapskaus Boulevard ,

2075-531: The Norwegian language in the United States was at its peak between 1900 and World War I , then declined in the 1920s and 1930s. Over one million Americans spoke Norwegian as their primary language from 1900 to World War I, and more than 3,000 Lutheran churches in the Upper Midwest used Norwegian as their sole language. There were hundreds of Norwegian-language newspapers across the Upper Midwest. However, use of

2158-653: The Sons and Daughters of Norway and the Chicago Norske Klub also serve to preserve their ethnic heritage. Culinary customs (e.g., lutefisk and lefse ), national dress ( bunad ), and Norwegian holidays ( Syttende Mai ) are also popular. Some regional festivals celebrate Norwegian heritage, predominantly in areas with a high density of Norwegian Americans, such as Norsk Høstfest (English : Norwegian Autumn Festival ), an annual festival held in Minot, North Dakota . In 1925,

2241-644: The University of Washington , University of Oregon , University of Wisconsin–Madison , and the Indiana University offer Norwegian as a language within their Germanic language studies programs. Two Norwegian Lutheran churches in the United States continue to use Norwegian as a primary liturgical language, Mindekirken in Minneapolis and Minnekirken in Chicago. There are also several Norwegian Seaman's Churches in

2324-488: The hit parade . It was Capitol's first gold single . T-Bone Walker was a member of Slack's band from 1942 to 1944, and Slack later accompanied Walker on his first solo recording for Capitol, " Mean Old World ". This band also had a hit with "Strange Cargo." Slack continued to record with Capitol until at least 1950, recording some 80 tracks for the label. Slack also recorded as an accompanist for Big Joe Turner , Johnny Mercer , Margaret Whiting and Lisa Morrow. In

2407-458: The 1920s, Norwegian-Americans increasingly became suburban. Norwegian Americans cultivated bonds with Norway , sending gifts home often and offering aid during natural disasters and other hardships in Norway. Relief in the form of collected funds was forthcoming without delay. Only during conflicts within the Union between Sweden and Norway , however, did Norwegian Americans become involved directly in

2490-512: The 20th century. There are more than 4.5 million Norwegian Americans, according to the 2021 U.S. census; most live in the Upper Midwest and on the West Coast of the United States . Norsemen from Greenland and Iceland were the first Europeans to reach North America. Leif Erikson reached North America via Norse settlements in Greenland around the year 1000. Norse settlers from Greenland founded

2573-563: The American Community Survey in 2005 showed that only 39,524 people use the language at home. Still, most Norwegian Americans can speak a common Norwegian with easy words like hello, yes and no. Today, there are still 1,209 people who only understand Norwegian or who do not speak English well in the United States . In 2000 this figure was 215 for those under 17 years old, whereas it increased to 216 in 2005. For other age groups,

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2656-706: The Andrews Sisters , Chuck Berry , Jerry Lee Lewis , and Asleep at the Wheel . On August 10, 1965, Slack was found dead in his bedroom in Hollywood , Los Angeles , California , from undetermined causes. Westby, Wisconsin Westby is a city in Vernon County , Wisconsin , United States. The population was 2,332 as of the 2020 census. The name "Westby" is a Norwegian name and literally translates to "Western city". Westby

2739-482: The Bar ", one of the early white boogie-woogie hits and a classic of the big band era. He formed his own band in 1942 and signed with the newly founded Capitol Records . He recorded three songs at his third recording session for Capitol, on May 21, 1942. His recording of "Cow Cow Boogie," sung by the 17-year-old Ella Mae Morse , was the second record the new Capitol issued, on July 1, and by July 25 it had reached number 1 on

2822-642: The Dakotas. Later waves of Norwegian immigration went to the Western states such as Montana , Washington , Oregon , and Utah through missionary efforts which gained Norwegian and Swedish converts to Mormonism . Additionally, craftsmen also immigrated to a larger, more diverse market. Until recently, there was a Norwegian area in Sunset Park, Brooklyn originally populated by Norwegian craftsmen. The upper Midwest became home to most immigrants. In 1910 almost 80 percent of

2905-645: The U.S. that have services in Norwegian. They are located in Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, New Orleans, and New York. Literary writing in Norwegian in North America includes the works of Ole Edvart Rølvaag , whose best-known work Giants in the Earth (" I de dage ", literally In Those Days ) was published in both English and Norwegian versions. Rølvaag was a professor from 1906 to 1931 at St. Olaf College, where he

2988-557: The United States in hope of practicing other religions freely. A significant number of Norwegian immigrants and their descendants were Methodists concentrated especially in Chicago, with its own theological seminary, while others converted to become Baptists . There were also groups of Quakers , relating back to "the Sloopers," and Mormons who joined the trek to the "New Jerusalem" in Salt Lake City, Utah . Most Norwegian immigrants to

3071-532: The United States, particularly in the migration wave between the 1860s and early 20th century, were members of the Church of Norway , an evangelical Lutheran church established by the Constitution of Norway . As they settled in their new homeland and forged their own communities, however, Norwegian-American Lutherans diverged from the state church in many ways, forming synods and conferences that ultimately contributed to

3154-420: The age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.92. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under

3237-460: The age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 32,340, and the median income for a family was $ 41,000. Males had a median income of $ 29,274 versus $ 21,429 for females. The per capita income for

3320-427: The age of 40 still spoke Norwegian as their primary language (although many still understood the language). As such, they were not passing the language on to their children, the next generation of Norwegian Americans. Some sources stated that today there are 81,000 Americans who speak Norwegian as their primary language. According to the U.S. Census however, only 55,475 Americans spoke Norwegian at home as of 2000, and

3403-665: The area in January 1905, though both railroads have long since ceased local operations. The Westby depot was torn down in 1970. Westby is located at 43°39′14″N 90°51′33″W  /  43.65389°N 90.85917°W  / 43.65389; -90.85917 (43.653861, -90.859034), at the headwaters of the Bad Axe River . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 2.60 square miles (6.73 km ), of which, 2.59 square miles (6.71 km )

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3486-720: The center of Norwegian American activity up until the American Civil War , a war in which a number of Norwegian Americans fought for the Union, such as in the 15th Wisconsin Volunteer Regiment . In the 1850s Norwegian land seekers began moving into both Iowa and Minnesota , and serious migration to the Dakotas was underway by the 1870s. Norwegian immigration through the years was predominantly motivated by economic concerns. Compounded by crop failures, Norwegian agricultural resources were unable to keep up with population growth, and

3569-606: The city of Seattle , became another center of immigrant life. Enclaves of Norwegian immigrants emerged as well in greater Brooklyn , New York , in Alaska , and Texas . After Minnesota, Wisconsin had the most Norwegians in 1990, followed by California, Washington, and North Dakota. In a letter from Chicago dated November 9, 1855, Elling Haaland from Stavanger, Norway , assured his relatives back home that "of all nations Norwegians are those who are most favored by Americans." Svein Nilsson,

3652-685: The city was $ 16,839. About 4.9% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over. The local economy was built on agriculture, with a strong tradition of cooperative businesses. With seven cooperatives still functioning, Westby has been referred to as "Co-op City". some of the more prominent co-ops are the Westby Cooperative Creamery , Vernon Telephone Cooperative , Heartland Country Coop , Westby Coop Credit Union , and Vernon Electric Cooperative. Another important local business, also based on agriculture and

3735-481: The city. The population density was 841.9 people per square mile (324.9/km ). There were 906 housing units at an average density of 373.0 per square mile (144.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 99.12% White (mostly Norwegian-American ), 0.24% Native American , 0.10% Asian , 0.49% from other races , and 0.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population. There were 840 households, out of which 31.4% had children under

3818-638: The day in an atmosphere conducive to learning while also developing skills useful in American life. Beginning in 1889, both the Wig Debate Society and Forward Debate Society , located in Minnesota, hosted weekly debates. Many topics were discussed including voting rights , women's rights , and racism . These societies helped to develop friendship and understanding. In places like Brooklyn , Chicago, Minneapolis, and Seattle, Norwegian-Americans interacted with

3901-737: The early part of the 17th century. Hans Hansen Bergen , a native of Bergen , Norway, was one of the earliest settlers of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, having immigrated in 1633. Another early Norwegian settler, Albert Andriessen Bradt , arrived in New Amsterdam in 1637. Approximately 60 people had settled in the Manhattan area before the region was taken over by the British Empire in 1664. The total number of Norwegians that settled in New Netherland

3984-477: The emigrant over traveling to the U.S. directly. "They moved on from Quebec both by rail and by steamer for another thousand or more miles (1,600 km) for a steerage fare of slightly less than $ 9.00." Steamers from Quebec, Canada brought them to Toronto, Canada then the immigrants often traveled by rail for 93 miles to Collingwood, Ontario , Canada on Lake Huron, from where steamers transported them across Lake Michigan to Chicago, Milwaukee and Green Bay. Not until

4067-687: The first crewed international spaceflight. In religion, Olaf M. Norlie created the Simplified New Testament . Herman Amberg Preus was a key leader in the development of the Synod of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . Bernt Julius Muus was the principal founder and Thorbjorn N. Mohn was the first president of St. Olaf College . Peter Laurentius Larsen and Ulrik Vilhelm Koren both helped found Luther College (Iowa) . In business, Ole Bardahl founded

4150-517: The first half of the 18th century, upstate New York in the latter half of the same century, and in New England during both halves. During the colonial period, Norwegian immigrants often joined the Dutch seeking opportunities for trade and a new life in America. The Dutch often took Norwegians with them to the New World for their sailing expertise. There was a Norwegian presence in New Amsterdam in

4233-419: The greatest coaches in college football history, while Babe Zaharias was named by the Guinness Book of Records as the most versatile female athlete of all time. Zaharias achieved outstanding success in golf , basketball and track and field athletics . Additionally, Stein Eriksen won the gold medal in the Giant Slalom event at the 1952 Winter Olympics , which were held in Oslo , Norway . He also won

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4316-404: The immigrant experience, especially the Norwegian-American experience in The Dakotas . Rølvaag's home is a National Historic Landmark . Tomi Lahren , is a FOX Nation host and former host of her own The Blaze TV show as well as a FOX News commentator. In labor unions, Andrew Furuseth was largely responsible for the passage of four reforms that changed the lives of American mariners. Two of them,

4399-470: The language declined in part due to the rise of nationalism among the American population during and after World War I. During this period, readership of Norwegian-language publications fell. Norwegian Lutheran churches began to hold their services in English, and the younger generation of Norwegian Americans were encouraged to speak English rather than Norwegian. When Norway itself was liberated from Nazi Germany in 1945, relatively few Norwegian Americans under

4482-409: The majority immigrating to the U.S., and lesser numbers immigrating to the Dominion of Canada. With the exception of Ireland , no single country contributed a larger percentage of its population to the United States than Norway. Data from the U.S. Office of Immigration statistics of the number of Norwegians obtaining lawful permanent resident status in the U.S. from 1870 to 2016 highlights two peaks in

4565-442: The migration flow, the first one in the 1880s, and the second one in the first decade of the 20th century. It also shows an abrupt decrease after 1929, during the economic crisis of the 1930s. Beginning in 1836, Norwegian immigrants arrived in significant numbers annually. From the early "slooper" settlement in Illinois , Norwegian pioneers followed the general spread of population northwestward into Wisconsin . Wisconsin remained

4648-507: The multi-cultural environment of the city while constructing a complex ethnic community that met the needs of its members. It might be said that a Scandinavian melting pot existed in the urban setting among Norwegians, Swedes, and Danes, evidenced in residential and occupational patterns, in political mobilization, and in public commemoration. Inter-marriage promoted inter-ethnic assimilation. There are no longer any Norwegian immigrant enclaves or neighborhoods in America's great cities. Beginning in

4731-400: The name of a store, Uff Da Shoppe. Bus service towards La Crosse or Viroqua is provided seven times daily per direction by Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit . Westby has one of the largest ski jumping hills in the United States. The Snowflake Ski Club hosts an annual ski jump event at the end of January and the beginning of February. The event includes a parade to introduce all of

4814-445: The new society. In their segregated farming communities, Norwegians were spared direct prejudice and might indeed have been viewed as a welcome ingredient in a region's development. Still, a sense of inferiority was inherent in their position. The immigrants were occasionally referred to as "guests" in the United States and they were not immune to condescending and disparaging attitudes by old-stock Americans. Economic adaptation required

4897-446: The nickname of 8th Avenue in Brooklyn . There are a number of museums commemorating the Norwegian-American immigrant experience. Norskedalen is a natural and cultural heritage site near Coon Valley, Wisconsin , spread over 440 acres which exhibits the Norwegian immigrant experience of the late 1800s. Little Norway, Wisconsin is a living museum of a Norwegian village located in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin . The National Nordic Museum in

4980-401: The number of Norwegian speakers increase. Many Lutheran colleges that were established by immigrants and people of Norwegian background, such as Luther College in Decorah, Iowa , Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington , and St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota , continue to offer Norwegian majors in their undergraduate programs. Many major American universities, such as

5063-399: The numbers went down. For those who are from 18 to 64 years old, went down from 915 in 2000 to 491 in 2005. For those who are older than 65 years it went drastically down from 890 to 502 in the same period. The Norwegian language is likely to never die out in the U.S. because there is still immigration, of course on a much smaller scale, but they often emigrate to other areas, like Texas, where

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5146-406: The one million or more Norwegian Americans lived in that part of the United States. In 1990, 51.7 percent of the Norwegian American population lived in the Midwest . At that time, Minnesota had the largest Norwegian American population and Minneapolis functioned as a hub for Norwegian American secular and religious activities. In the Pacific Northwest , the Puget Sound region, and especially

5229-445: The original version of the song " Down the Road a Piece ", recorded in 1940 by the Will Bradley Orchestra, Slack is mentioned in the lyrics: If you wanna' hear some boogie then I know the place It's just an old piano and a knocked-out bass. The drummer-man's a guy they call eight beat Mack You remember Doc and old "Beat Me Daddy" Slack. Man it's better than chicken fried in bacon grease Come along with me boy, it's just down

5312-483: The participating countries, a competition for "Snowflake" royalty, and opportunities for local businesses to sell their wares. The event attracts competitors from all over the ski jumping world. Westby's most popular event is the Syttende Mai festival, an annual three-day event held in mid-May. The festival stems from Westby's Norwegian roots, Syttende Mai being a Norwegian holiday ("Syttende Mai" translates to "Seventeenth of May") celebrating Norway's independence and

5395-768: The period, being via England by means of the monopoly established by the leading shipping lines of Great Britain, primarily the White Star Line and the Cunard Line , both of which operated chiefly out of Liverpool, England . These lines negotiated with smaller 'feeder lines', primarily the Wilson Line , which was based out of the port city of Hull on England's east coast, to provide emigrants with passage from port cities such as Christiania (present-day Oslo), Bergen and Trondheim to England via Hull. Steamship companies such as Cunard and White Star included fares for passage on these feeder ship in their overall ticket prices, along with railroad fares for passage between Hull and Liverpool and temporary accommodations in numerous hotels owned by

5478-522: The political life of Norway. In the 1880s they formed societies to assist Norwegian liberals, collecting money to assist rifle clubs in Norway should the political conflict between liberals and conservatives call for arms. The ongoing tensions between Sweden and Norway and Norway's humiliating retreat in 1895 fueled nationalism and created anguish. Norwegian Americans raised money to strengthen Norway's military defenses. The unilateral declaration by Norway on June 7, 1905, to dissolve its union with Sweden yielded

5561-551: The population was 1.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the census of 2010, there were 2,200 people, 929 households, and 575 families living in the city. The population density was 849.4 inhabitants per square mile (328.0/km ). There were 996 housing units at an average density of 384.6 per square mile (148.5/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 98.0% White , 0.2% African American , 0.1% Native American , 0.1% Asian , 0.4% from other races , and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of

5644-437: The population. There were 929 households, of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.1% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

5727-461: The present Lutheran establishment in the United States. The Norwegian Lutheran church was a focal point in rural settlements in the Upper Midwest . The congregation became an all-encompassing institution for its members, creating a tight social network that touched all aspects of immigrant life. The force of tradition in religious practice made the church a central institution in the urban environment as well. The severe reality of urban life increased

5810-456: The road a piece. "Eight Beat Mack" refers to drummer Ray McKinley , and "Doc" relates to the band's bass player, Doc Goldberg . His 1955 album, Boogie Woogie on the 88 , featured a horn section including jazz musicians Shorty Sherock and Herbie Harper among others, with arrangements by Benny Carter . He also co-wrote the 1945 classic " The House of Blue Lights ", first recorded with singer Ella Mae Morse , and later by Chuck Miller ,

5893-566: The settlement of L'Anse aux Meadows in Vinland , in what is now Newfoundland, Canada . These settlers failed to establish a permanent settlement because of conflicts with indigenous people and within the Norse community. The Netherlands, and especially the cities of Amsterdam and Hoorn , had strong commercial ties with the coastal lumber trade of Norway during the 17th century and many Norwegians immigrated to Amsterdam. Some of them settled in Dutch colonies, although never in large numbers. There were also Norwegian settlers in Pennsylvania in

5976-795: The shipping lines in port cities such as Liverpool. Most Norwegian emigrants bound for the United States entered the country through New York City, with smaller numbers coming through other eastern ports such as Boston and Philadelphia. Other shipping lines such as the Canadian Pacific Line , which operated chiefly out of Liverpool, and the Glasgow-based Anchor Line operated routes to ports in eastern Canada, primarily Quebec City , Montreal and Halifax . Because Canadian-bound routes were slightly shorter, lines which disembarked at Canadian ports often provided quicker passages and cheaper fares. The Canadian route offered many advantages to

6059-468: The signing of the Norwegian Constitution. The festival's main attractions are the cultural shops, where many Norwegian products are sold; the food stands; and the troll hunt. At the start of the weekend, a small troll, standing several inches tall, is hidden somewhere within the city limits. A clue is posted downtown on each of the three days until someone finds the troll. The prize for retrieving

6142-419: The social role of the church. The official State Church in Norway did not extend pastoral care to emigrants and provided no guidance in the formation of new congregations in the United States. The Church of Norway was seen as an integrated part of the Norwegian state administration with no particular responsibility for people outside of Norway, with the exception of sailors and those who remained citizens. As

6225-461: The start of the 20th century did Norwegians accept Canada as a land of the second chance. This was also true of the many American-Norwegians who moved to Canada seeking homesteads and new economic opportunities. By 1921, one-third of all Norwegians in Canada had been born in the U.S. Between 1825 and 1925, more than 800,000 Norwegians immigrated to North America—about one-third of Norway's population with

6308-449: The traditions which these immigrants brought with them represented a specific segment of the Norwegian population and cultural period. As these traditions continued to evolve in an American context, they are today divergent from that of modern-day Norway. Norwegian Americans actively celebrate and maintain their heritage in many ways. Much of these traditions center upon Lutheran-Evangelical church communities. Other organizations, such as

6391-452: The troll is $ 50. In recent years, Westby has held a town festival to mark Leif Erikson Day . Norwegian-American 1,230,354 (0.4%) Norwegian alone Norwegian Americans ( Norwegian : Norskamerikanere ) are Americans with ancestral roots in Norway . Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the latter half of the 19th century and the first few decades of

6474-432: Was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.93. The median age in the city was 41.5 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 24.4% were from 45 to 64; and 20.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 2,045 people, 840 households, and 554 families living in

6557-875: Was also head of the Norwegian studies department beginning in 1916. As of 2000, U.S. communities with high percentages of people who use Norwegian language were: As of 2000, the ten U.S. counties with the highest percentage of Norwegian language speakers were: In entertainment, Sigrid Gurie , "the siren of the fjords," starred in numerous motion pictures in the 1930s and 1940s. Other Hollywood actors and personalities with one Norwegian parent or grandparent include James Arness , Paris Hilton , James Cagney , Peter Graves , Tippi Hedren , Lance Henriksen , Celeste Holm , Kristanna Loken , Robert Mitchum , Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen , Elizabeth Olsen , Piper Perabo , Chris Pratt , Priscilla Presley , Michelle Williams , Rainn Wilson and Renée Zellweger . Seminal protopunk musicians Iggy Pop of The Stooges and David Johansen of

6640-589: Was born out of religious persecution, especially for Quakers and a local religious group, the Haugeans . Organized Norwegian immigration to North America began in 1825, when several dozen Norwegians left Stavanger bound for North America on the sloop Restauration (often called the "Norse Mayflower "). Under the leadership of Cleng Peerson , the Restauration left Stavanger in July 1825 and ferried six families on

6723-569: Was named after general store owner and Civil War Union soldier Ole T. Westby of Biri, Norway , where many of the city's Norwegian-American settlers originated. Westby Coon-Prairie Lutheran Church in Westby was established in 1851. The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad began servicing Westby and surrounding townships in August 1879, and the La Crosse and Southeastern Railroad began service to

6806-735: Was the 14th Chief Justice of the United States . In science, Ernest Lawrence won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1939. Lars Onsager won the 1968 Nobel Prize in Chemistry . Norman Borlaug , father of the Green Revolution , won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970. Christian B. Anfinsen won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1972. Ivar Giaever won the Nobel Prize in Physics 1973. Carl Richard Hagen

6889-626: Was with Johnny Tobin at the Beach View Gardens. He later moved to Los Angeles, where he worked with Henry Halstead , Earl Burtnett and Lennie Hayton , before joining Ben Pollack in 1934. He played with the Jimmy Dorsey Band in the 1930s and was a charter member of the Will Bradley Orchestra when it formed in 1939. Known to bandmates as "Daddy Slack," he played the piano solo on Bradley's recording of " Beat Me Daddy, Eight to

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