Our third Valdres Samband/Vestlandslag joint steve was held June 15 – 17, 2017 at the Best Western Plus in Shoreview, MN. On the 14th, the eve of the stevne, an informal session on beginning genealogy was led by Ann Romo who pointed out the importance of documenting all information found. A few sources mentioned were church, court, baptism and death certificates, Social Security Indexes, ELCA confirmation records. A helpful hint: Shaving cream cleans writing on gravestones.
Thursday, June 15th
At 8 o’clock Thursday morning, Ken Svor, with help from Earl Evenstad, opened registration; Tom
Standal began work in the genealogy area; and vendors opened for business.
At 11 o’clock Lisa Flansburg opened the hospitality room for coffee, sweets and socializing. At 9 oclock Dixie Hanson’s “Interpreting DNA Results” began the stevne’s interesting presentations. “Spitting has its rewards,” she said. “Spit or scrape and mail.” Hanson has had her DNA tested five times by five available services. Because results aren’t always consistant she advised to keep notes of findings. She also pointed out plusses and minuses of each service.
After our coffee break, Dean Erdahl presented “Norwegian Immigration and the Dakota Conflict.” Using fact – embellished with fiction – he brought to life the heartache suffered by both the Dakota and the area immigrants during this war fought on Minnesota soil.
A buffet lunch began at 11:15. An hour later the two tour buses arrived. Fifteen minutes later the filled buses left for an enjoyable afternoon of discovery and review. The Minnesota State Capital guide described its dome as one of the largest marble domes in the world. It measures 142 feet from its ceiling to the floor. Although restoration was incomplete, the interior’s original colors have returned and gone are the smoke and coal smoke-darkened colors. One item pointed out is that with 67 seats in the senate, Minnesota has the largest state senate in the USA. The James J. Hill House was built in 1891, during what Mark Twain called the Guilded Age. The railroad mogol used Carnegie steel – not timber – for framing in his mansion of 42 rooms, which include 13 bedrooms, 22 fireplaces, a security system and electricity. Not totally 2017 trusting electricity, a few lights in all candelabra are gas. Bathrooms reveal the thought of the times: women were considered too delicate for showers, as only bathrooms for males contain showers. To this day, none of the floors slope in this well built house completed in 1891 at a cost of just under a million dollars.
The Minnesota History Center’s main focus was a World War I display. Woodrow Wilson was the United States President, Harry S. Truman was in the infantry and and people were testing the constitution.
Returning to the hotel around 5:30, we went our separate ways for dinner. In an informal session Thursday evening, Tom Standal, Vickie Harte and Darin Flansburg introduced the website ValdresGenealogy.com, which is accessible to all Valdres Samband members.
Friday, June 15th
The next morning at 8 o’clock, Ken Svor and Earl Evenstad had returned to the registration desk, Tom Standal to the genealogy area, and vendors to their sales areas. Bruce Weaver II gave the first presentation of the day, “Viking Era Artifacts.” Using slide photos of various museum artifacts, he described the Viking lifestyle. Women wore elaborate gold inlay jewelry; mens’ double-edged, 4-foot long swords were sometimes also elaborately decorated with gold inlay. Touching on Norse mythology, he told about wearing jewelry of Thor’s Hammer for protection from evil and that deer decoration on items depicted Christianity, as deer were used as an early symbol of Christ.
After partaking of Lisa Flansburg’s well run spot for coffee, treats and visiting, the crowd attended the Opening Ceremonies.
Tom Standal gave the The Call of the Lur. The Welcome was given by Bruce Weaver, and he then introduced Tamra Foster, who led the Memorial Service. In his presentation, “Hand Me a Chisel! The Norwegian Rushmore Imagined,” Dr. Byron Nordstrom asked his audience, “Who would you put on a Norwegian Mount Rushmore?” Nordstrom included Harold, the Fairhaired, 862-933; Olav II (Saint) 995-1030; Haakon VII, 1905 – 1957; Olav V, 1957-1991.
Touching on a bit of history, Nordstrom mentioned Olav II’s murder by some of his own people because they did not like what he was preaching. However, he became a unifying factor in bringing Christianity to Norway. He also noted King Haakon’s managing the government transition from a monarchy to a democratic republic. After an hour for lunch, Rebecca Wood lead Barneborgen, the children’s program. (Story on p. 10)
At 1:30, Linda Heen gave her audience a practical lesson in “Saving and Identifying Your Old Family Photos.” A practical and inexpensive way is to use archival sheet protectors, self-stick labels and 3-ring binders to sort, organize and protect loose photos. It’s important to record what you know and what you don’t know about a photo – the where, when and who.
Heen recommends digitizing photos because it improves quality, allows enlargements to better identify people; easier copying and distribution; transfer to smartphones, Tvs and books; and it assures forwarding images into the future. Family involvement in your project will further appreciation of your family history. Genealogy and photo identification can work well together.
After a fifteen minute coffee break, we heard John Yilek’s several “Stories of Norway” – based on fact and legend. The story that most surprised this writer was Ole Bull’s Failed Settlement at Oleana. The Bergen born Ole Bull not only was a great violinist who toured America, but a land speculator. He bought 11,000 acres in northern Pennsylvania and named it Little Norway. He named one of the four communities in the colony “Oleana.” Bull took a huge financial loss as his dream didn’t work out – good farm land it was not. People he had convinced to settle left for the Midwest. Theordore Blegen made fun of Ole Bull’s failed investment; Pete Seeger sang about it in “Oleana.” But Ole Bull has not been forgotten. Along Kettle Creek in Pennsylvania’s Potter County, 132 acres are designated as Ole Bull State Park.
The successful Silent Auction ended at 4 pm. Thanks go to Vickie Harte, who conducted the event, contributors of merchandise and bidders.
Also at 4 o’clock, Shirley Evenstad began teaching Rosemaling Class. The colorful Bunad Style Show began at 6 o’clock, and was narrated by Vestlandslag’s Lucy Gaston. She introduced the models and noted which area their bunads represented.
Ann Romo then introduced the Vestlandslag officers and the presidents of the invididual lags in Vestlandslag. Romo next introduced Jim Olson, who led us in the Table Prayer. After a delicious roast turkey banquet, we were entertained by the Peer Gynt Norwegian Dancers from the Twin City area. Led by Susan Stowe, these youngsters, from age 7 to 17, took turns introducing themselves and their dances. They ended their delightful performance by asking for audience participation. Several people joined in dancing, including Barneborgen children in their bunads.
Saturday, June 17
Thanks to Lisa Flansburg, the Kaffee Stue was open at 9:15 Saturday morning for caffiene, treats and conversation. Saturday was reserved for individual lag meetings. Minutes of the Valdres Samband Annual Meeting are on page 39 of Dec 2017 Budstikken Issue. You will find the minutes of the Valdres Samband Board Meeting on page 40.
After lunch, Valdres Samband and Vestlandslag officers met to discuss the 2017 event and to begin
plans for the next stevne. The 2018 Stevne will be held June 20-23, 2018 at the Holiday Inn in Alexandria, MN.