Category Archives: History
1966: ‘Ghost town’ of Quandahl auctioned for $15,330
A once-thriving village nestled into the Bear Creek valley, Quandahl’s history followed the path of so many other small country towns in the mid 20th century, except for how it ended: On an early October morning in 1966, the entire village … Continue reading
Panoramic photo of Decorah c1908
Brunt & Parman, a wholesale and retail pharmacy in Decorah, commissioned this panoramic photo around 1908. The pharmacy produced and sold postcards and other photographic products. Founded by Isaac W. Brunt and E. J. Parman in 1893, the pharmacy operated … Continue reading
Bear Creek Woolen Mill and Highland grave mystery revealed
Reader Randy Freese asked about a lonely tombstone on a scenic bluff over North Bear Creek. The grave site provides a broad view over Bear Creek valley and the site of the former Bear Creek Woolen Mill, which was founded … Continue reading
Hauge Lutheran Church: World War II Service Roll
This Memorial Day, NorwegianRidge.com will honor the WWII service members from Hauge Lutheran Church; fortunately, it seems that all came home from the war. The list below has been transcribed from a framed poster in the basement of the church. … Continue reading
Twister strikes Canoe & Highland in June 1906
On the night of Wednesday, June 6, 1906, a tornado ripped across Winneshiek and Houston counties, and extended its range of destruction into La Crosse and western Wisconsin. Two were killed near Caledonia. A spate of storms causing unprecedented damage … Continue reading
Slideshow: Hauge Lutheran Church, Canoe Township
Slideshow: Hauge Lutheran Church, Canoe Township Continue reading
Ole Rynning’s True Account of America, 1838
Based upon his travels in America in June of 1838, Ole Rynning’s True Account of America (Sandfærdig Beretning om Amerika) gave practical information and courage to thousands of Norwegian peasants who were curious about their chances in another country. It was the … Continue reading
Must-read social history of pre-emigration life in Norway
Between Rocks and Hard Places by Ann Urness Gesme is a social history of the Norwegian farmers who made up the bulk of emigrants to America. Focusing on the Norwegian period of their lives makes this book uniquely informative and … Continue reading
Diaries of early preachers reveal frontier life in the 1850s
A number of preachers from Norway (and other Scandinavian countries) were among the first settlers in the Norwegian Ridge area. They were making rounds to settlers before congregations were officially organized and a pastor was funded and “called” from Norway … Continue reading
Money Creek and other local place names explained
Black Hammer is so-named because Knud Olsen Bergo came upon the prairie bluff after a wildfire blackened its sides, and Money Creek was named after a gust of wind blew the contents of an unlucky early settler’s wallet into the … Continue reading
Southern Minnesota Railroad Company service in Houston County
Early railroads (and their tycoons) were the beneficiaries of a great gift from the government: to run rail lines to the West, railroads were typically granted every odd-numbered section for six or so miles on each side of the tracks … Continue reading
Leprosy epidemic hits Spring Grove in 1886
Sometimes small-town news spreads far and wide. This pair of stories shows that extreme medical conditions gave Spring Grove a small amount of fame in its first few decades.
NYTimes Observes “Our Scandinavian Population” in 1866
Imagine Decorah being at the front of the American frontier when you read this bit from the New York Times, originally published April 20, 1866: Our Scandinavian Population. A correspondent of the American Messenger estimates the number of Norwegians settled … Continue reading
High-Resolution Plat Maps for Houston, Allamakee and Winneshiek Counties
Plat maps are an excellent resource for local history research. They show where a family lived and farmed, can demonstrate migration over time, and provide context when digging through census records. They can also be used to identify the locations cited … Continue reading
Highland Township’s Early History
It’s hard to believe that Highland Township, in the northeast corner of Winneshiek County, Iowa, was once at the western edge of civilization. Here are excerpts from some early histories that show the difficulties as well as the promise of … Continue reading
