In 2018, we held a combined Stevne with both the Valdres Samband and the Vestlandet Lag in Alexandria,
Minnesota. This trip report was printed in the following issue of the Budstikken in December 2018. Photos coming…
Thursday June 21, 2018
Our combined annual Stevne opened to a modest line of attendees already gathered at our Registration table. Tom Standal, acting Valdres Samband Membership Secretary and Genealogist, welcomed each person and handed out preassembled Stevne packets. Tom was alert to sign up those who had not preregistered. At Registration throughout our Stevne were Treasurer Ken Svor and Past President Earl Evenstad, sometimes also joined former First Lady and Rosemaling Champion, Shirley Evenstad.
Concurrently, Lisa Flansburg ably set up the Hospitality Suite, assisted by Director Darin Flansburg. Lisa
busily managed a smooth running and very successful Hospitality Suite. Vickie Hart and Tom had
unpacked the Valdres Samband traveling archives and busily readied the Genealogy area. The
various vendors set up their wares. Two speakers gave presentations Thursday morning.
First up was Amanda Seim, the Executive Director of the Runestone Museum in Alexandria. Amanda gave a short introduction to the Kensington Runestone and went on to provide a survey of a number of interesting historical exhibits the museum also houses. She fielded questions from the audience.
Next speaker was Gary Lund, President of the Douglas County Historical Society. He dressed in black, with the
exception of a white shirt, and wore a formal top hat. Mr. Lund appeared as the historical figure, “Knute Nelson.” His name tag displayed the moniker “Senator Knute Nelson.” During his short talk, he presented himself as this renowned persona, who went on to become the 12th Governor of Minnesota. It was a good
introduction for those who were booked onto the Thursday afternoon bus tour with its stop at the former Knute Nelson home.
Mr. Lund’s presentation was brief, which allowed for Stevne goers extra time to visit the genealogical
and vendor areas. Others checked out the items for the Silent Auction. A buffet lunch was served
poolside after which people began to queue up for the bus tour. Amidst the crowds and the bright sun while waiting to board the two buses, a Vestlandet attendee inadvertently lost her footing and fell from the curbed sidewalk onto the pavement requiring a hospital visit. The extent of her injury, while not life threatening,
unfortunately caused her to miss the bus tour and balance of the Stevne.
Stops on the bus tour were the Douglas County Historical Society/Knute Nelson home, and the Runestone Museum—with each bus reversing the order of its itinerary to accommodate the limited space of each site. Both destinations proved very engaging to many on the tour. The Runestone, of course, was the immediate showstopper. I spent considerable time examining the famous carved stone and took many snaps. Yet, beyond the museum’s namesake, many additional artifacts and objects begged further exploration. The Native American collection was very rich and intriguing. A number of our group expressed surprised delight at viewing certain museum objects that were similar to, if not identical to, what they were familiar with from their younger years. The museum holdings proved so charming that some people ran out of time to cross the
road and check out, “Big Ole—America’s Biggest Viking!” The 28 ft tall fiberglass sculpture was crafted for the 1965 New York World’s Fair. It was trucked back to Minnesota in December 1965 and has its own story to tell from its residence in Alexandria.
The Douglas County Historical Society/Knute Nelson home warranted an interesting guided tour of the main room by a very informed docent. Here, as at the museum, tourgoers were sometimes confronted with various items familiar to childhood. The late Dr. Paul Rud remarked how the cookstove was very similar to one he remembered from way back. The upstairs bedroom had an intriguing headboard made of burls. It was almost reminiscent of peering into a series of Rorschach inkblot patterns. Among the actual research part of the former Knute Nelson home–The Douglas County Historical Society–was a collection of period local newspapers, stored in binders. Following the extended viewing of the internal eye candy collections and furnishings the Knute Nelson home offered, it was time to head to the final tour destination of the
afternoon. The buses then reconvened at Runestone County Park– the former site of the Ohman farm—
where the “discovery” was reportedly made of the Kensington Stone in 1898—120 years ago. After a self-guided tour at the park which included a marker indicating where the stone was recovered, bus passengers walked down the slope to the new visitor center to line up for a Barbeque dinner.
The recently completed $1,000,000 project had been dedicated on January 3—some six months prior to our visit. The modern Visitor’s Center showcases a full-size replica of the famed Kensington Rune Stone and
a fireplace made of the same type of metagraywacke rock that the renowned original was chiseled
upon. In excess of 1.5 miles of dimensional lumber went into the building frame for the new center.
Its tall, south facing windows were designed to utilize ambient solar heating for this modern facility. On the day of our bus tour, the high ambient temperatures and sunny skies were a bit much for some. Many chose to sit inside. Yet, with the size of the group, and its overflow, others found additional, unshaded seating outdoors at long picnic tables. Of course, those Stevne attendees who were NOT on the bus tour had dinner on their own. Scheduled individual Lag group photos were taken after the return of the bus tour groups to the motel.
Friday June 22, 2018