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Norse Centennial in America from Bemidji MN’S Newspaper, “The Pioneer” Sunday, August 1 2004 Page B5

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Norse Centennial in America from Bemidji MN’S Newspaper, “The Pioneer” Sunday, August 1 2004 Page B5 Rogne Research Collection The 1925 Centennial Celebration of Norwegian Immigration to America Poster owned by Norwegian-American Historical Association, Northfield MN from “The Promise of America” website www.nb.no/emigrasjon/emigration/ Page 1 of 8 Rogne Research Collection Just a Few of the Things to Be Seen and Heard at the NORSE AMERICAN CENTENNIAL Celebration and Exposition Minnesota State Fair Grounds June 6-7-8-9, 1925 Four Big Days – Continuous Program Educational – Entertaining – Inspiring Hear: Hon. Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States Hon. Frank B. Kellogg, Secretary of State of the United States Hon. H. H. Beyla, Norway’s Minister to the United States Rt. Rev. J P Lunde, Bishop of Oslo, Norway And other official representatives of Norway, Iceland and the Nominion of Canada, also U S Senators, Congressmen and Governors of Norse Ancestry. Hear the following famous musical organizations: Academic Choir (50 voices) from Norway St. Olaf College Choir and Band Luther College Concert Band Augsburg Seminary Glee Club Concordia College Choir Augustana College Choir Waldorf College Choir Norwegian Singers’ Association Male Chorus Prominent vocal and instrumental soloists See The instructional, colorful Historic Pageant with 1,000 people taking part The beautiful “Living Flags” of Norway and the United States, by 420 school children The full-sized model of the sloop “Restaurationen” (Norwegian “Mayflower”) The Prize-winning models of the ancient Viking ships The baseball and tennis games, soccer game, and big program of athletic contests and races. The official exhibits of the natural resources of the State of Minnesota and Dominion of Canada. The many paintings and sculptures by famous Norwegian and Norse-American artists. A veritable “world’s fair” of interesting exhibits in 22 different departments, including wonderful collections of Old Norse relics and those from old pioneer days in America – actually thousands of articles of historic value and interest. An Opportunity That Comes But Once In A Lifetime! You Can’t Afford To Miss It! Buy Your Tickets Now!! Page 2 of 8 Rogne Research Collection Arrival of President Calvin Coolidge Norse-American Centennial Celebration Minnesota State Fair Grounds June 9, 1925 Photo owned by Norsk Utvandrermuseum negative number U01184 from “The Promise of America” website www.nb.no/emigrasjon/emigration/ Page 3 of 8 Rogne Research Collection “Living Flag” of Norway Children’s Choir dressed to form the Norwegian flag. They also created a living American flag. June 9, 1925 Norse-American Centennial Celebration Minnesota State Fairgrounds Photo owned by Minnesota Historical Society negative 16199 from “The Promise of America” website www.nb.no/emigrasjon/emigration/ Page 4 of 8 Rogne Research Collection June 8, 1925 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis MN Immediately after the Norse-American Centennial Parade Photo owned by Minnesota Historical Society Negative# 16198 from “The Promise of America” website www.nb.no/emigrasjon/emigration/ Saturday, June 6, was “Lag Day” when each of the 37 bygdelags held their meetings. Approximately 40,000 people attended these Lag meetings. Page 5 of 8 Rogne Research Collection Congressman O.J. Kvale of the 7th District, Minneapolis, a member of the Congressional Coin, Weights, and Measures Committee, was instrumental in the production of the Norse American medal series. As early as February 1925, Kvale visited the Treasury Department with his plans for a medal to recognize the accomplishments of the Norse-American settlers in his area of Minnesota. His initial plan called for round medals, but their size would have made them easily confused with existing coinage, so an octagonal shape was agreed upon. The silver for these medals was to come from Mint stock, thereby saving the newly formed Norse-American Centennial Commission the cost of procuring silver on the open market. The only cost incurred by the Commission was the production expense. On March 2, 1925, Congress authorized the production of 40,000 silver medals and 100 gold medals, all to be produced at the Philadelphia Mint. Records indicate that 39,850 silver and gold pieces were struck in May and June of 1925, 33,750 of which were on "thick" silver planchets, 6,000 on "thin" silver planchets, and 100 pieces on .900 fine gold planchets. The silver pieces were counted, bagged, and shipped to the Fourth Street National Bank of Philadelphia for delivery to the Commission. The cost to the Commission for each piece delivered was 45¢ for the "thick" version, 30¢ for the "thin" version, and $10.14 for the gold version. The Commission then sold the pieces at $1.25 for the "thick" and $1.75 for the "thin." The Centennial Commission retained first strikings of the silver and gold types. Additionally, it is known that Congressman O.J. Kvale received gold medal number two, the second piece struck, in recognition of his services to the commission. Although all of the silver medals were sold, only 47 of the gold medals were purchased, with the rest being returned to the Mint and melted down. According to an article by Anthony Swiatek in the June 1982 volume of The Numismatist, collector "Max E. Brail of Jackson, Michigan, remembers purchasing the gold specimen for $20 dollars back in 1925." One of the gold medals sold for $10,000 at auction in 1997! However, they are usually valued at $3,000-$5,000 depending on condition. Page 6 of 8 Rogne Research Collection This two cent stamp is one of two issued to commemorate the one-hundredth anniversary of the arrival in New York, on October 9, 1825, of the sloop Restaurationen with the first group of immigrants to the United States from Norway. The stamps are in two denominations, 2-cent and 5- cent, and printed in two colors. The 2-cent stamp has for its central design a ship representing the sloop Restaurationen, with a smaller vessel in the background, from a photoengraving. At the top of the stamp, in a straight panel, appear the words "Norse- American" in white Roman letters, and below this, on a curved ribbon, is the word "Centennial" in dark letters. Ribbon scrolls appear in the upper portion on each side of the stamp with the years "1825" at the left and "1925" at the right. At the bottom of the stamp, in three straight lines, are the words "United States postage, two cents", and in both lower corners, within circles with dark backgrounds, is the white numeral "2." The central design is printed in black with the border design printed in red. The 5-cent stamp has for its central design a Viking ship from a photoengraving. At the top of the stamp, in white Gothic letters, appear the words "Norse-American" and below this, on a curved ribbon, is the word "Centennial" in dark letters. At the left of the stamp is a shield of Norway with the year "1825" above, and at the right of the stamp is a shield of the United States with the year "1925" above. Below the central design, in three straight lines, are the words "United States postage, five cents", and in both lower corners within circles with dark backgrounds, is the white numeral "5." The central design is printed in black with the border design printed in blue. The first issue of the Norse-American commemorative stamps was placed on sale May 18, 1925, at the following post offices: St.Paul, Minneapolis, Benson, and Northfield, Minn.; Algona and Decorah, Iowa; and Washington, D.C. Page 7 of 8 Rogne Research Collection Rogne Research Collection © 2009 Hadeland Lag of America, Inc. All Rights Reserved This form is part of the Rogne Research Collection.. The information presented here was gathered by Leslie Rogne and subsequent genealogists of the Hadeland Lag of America, Inc. The contents of each report may include original research by the genealogists and/or information submitted by members. Members are licensed to use this content for personal family genealogical research. You may download this form only if it is relevant to the research of a specific family line. Download of the whole or significant portions of the Rogne Research Collection is prohibited. Republication of any part of the Rogne Research Collection, online or in any other media format, is prohibited except as part of a work dedicated to a unique family genealogy with an appropriate citation identifying the Rogne Research Collection as its source, along with appropriate citations for primary sources contained herein. Violation of any part of HLA’s Terms of Use Agreement may result in immediate termination of your access to the Limited Access Archive and could result in legal action for injunction, damages or both. For more about HLA’s Terms of Use http://www.hadelandlag.org/misc/mtos.htm Page 8 of 8 Rogne Research Collection Norwegians celebrate Norse Centennial in America From Bemidji MN’s newspaper, “The Pioneer” Sunday, August 1 2004 page B5 The Norwegians in America had their “party of the century” at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds on June 6-9, 1925. Worship services were held in both English and Norwegian on Sunday in the Hippodrome. The grand finale came on Tuesday night in the centennial pageant, with music furnished by the Luther College Band of Decorah, Iowa, directed by Carlo A. Sperati. Even President & Mrs. Calvin Coolidge, as well as Lord Byng, Governor-General of Canada and Lady Byng were present. Bishop of Oslo Johan Lunde brought greetings from the Church of Norway. Greetings were brought from King Haakon VII, the Storting (Parliament) and the University. They had a lot to celebrate. It had been 100 years since the sloop called the “Restauration” had set out from Stavanger harbor with a load of Norwegian immigrants to the New World.
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