America Letter Fall 2007/Winter 2008 Vol. XXI, No. 1 Your Museum in the An International THE DANISH IMMIGRANT MUSEUM Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Protector Heart of the Continent Cultural Center ® Member of the American Association of Museums BOX 470 • ELK HORN, IOWA 51531 Across Oceans, Across Time, Across Generations®: The Nybys By Eva Nielsen “You’ll never amount to anything.” That’s what Folmer Nyby was told. He laughs about the comment now. And why shouldn’t he? Folmer immigrated to the United States as a 19-year- old in 1950 carrying only a suitcase and plans to marry Vera Lodahl, a second generation Dane from Dagmar, Montana. They married. They built several success- ful businesses. They raised three children. They have grandchildren, even great-grandchildren. They enjoy Folmer and Vera Nyby met in Denmark in 1948. Vera grew their home by a lake in Indiana. They drive to Arizona up in Dagmar, Montana, the daughter of Danish immigrant for the winter. And, then, the Nybys spend time at their parents. While visiting Denmark, she met Folmer at a dance in his hometown of Vestervig. The picture of Vera was taken summer home in Denmark—just down the road from in Denmark in 1948 so that Folmer could have it when she Vestervig, the town where Folmer was born. returned home to the United States. Folmer was just 13-years-old when he fi nished school to anything.’ I’ll tell you, when somebody tells you that and was confi rmed in the Vestervig church. In 1944—at when you’re young…you build in something in yourself age 14—he began his professional career as an apprentice that says I’ll show him.” Then Folmer adds, “I’ll betcha in a grocery it was good for me; it gave me a drive.” store. “The That drive, along with a desire to see the world, led g r o c e r y him to leave Vestervig for the United States. store owner In 1947 Folmer’s cousin, a captain in the United States and I did not Air Force who was stationed in Germany, visited Vestervig get along,” along with his wife and baby. “He says to me,” Folmer F o l m e r remembers, “‘Why don’t you come to America?’ And I says. “And thought that would be a good idea.” he said to A further incentive to immigrate to the United States m e t h a t came along in 1948. That’s when Folmer met Vera. one time, Vera Lodahl was born in Montana to Danish parents. ‘You’ll nev- Her father immigrated in 1927, her mother in 1929. They er amount settled in Dagmar, Montana, a Danish community where Vera grew up speaking Danish. There were many Lodahls Folmer was baptized and in the area—Vera’s father had four uncles, two brothers confirmed and a sister who had immigrated to Montana as well. at Vester- In 1948 Vera’s family set off for Denmark for a three- vig Kirke in month trip; this would be her parents’ fi rst time back to n o r t h w e s t Denmark. The family took a train from Williston, North Jutland. – continued on page 4 Director’s Corner By John Mark Nielsen In the film with the Funen Graphic Workshop situation, particularly for private, F i e l d o f this past year to travel an exhibit to non-profit institutions. We do not Dreams, the oft Seattle, Solvang, Omaha, Minneapo- sell a commodity; we preserve and quoted line is lis, Des Moines and Columbus. share a heritage. The Museum can “If you build Members can take pride in the depend that there will be visitors it, they will educational opportunities The Dan- and that some of these visitors will come.” Over ish Immigrant Museum provides the spend dollars in our museum shop, the last four years I’ve come to rec- public. The essay contest, “Tribute but we do not realize revenue from ognize that this phrase has captured to the Rescuers” and our partnership much that we do. Even the revenue my approach to leading The Danish with the Maia String Quartet of the realized from traveling exhibits, basi- Immigrant Museum. Despite having University of Iowa are examples. cally pays for the traveling and does one fewer staff person than when I Most importantly, at least to me, not cover the full costs of researching arrived in 2003, the Museum’s staff is our internship program. Hosting and fabricating such exhibits. Public has done an incredible job in expand- graduate student interns from Dan- museums can depend on the resources ing the programming and reaching ish and American universities has of the governmental constituency out to a broader constituency. Here benefited our programming and staff, they serve. I will admit to moments are some of the highlights. creating a learning environment at the when I have envied the administrators We have begun to market the Museum. We have provided interns of these institutions. Museum programming in a more stra- hands-on experience; they bring to What can you do to help? tegic and effective manner. “What’s us knowledge of recent approaches Renew your membership when Up at the Museum,” a weekly press to exhibitions and collection care and you receive your first renewal release is sent to over ninety news- challenge us to stay current. notice. (Perhaps you might even papers, every issue of Den Danske As we approach our 25th an- consider increasing your membership Pioneer and Bien carries our col- niversary year, I can proudly point level!) umn “Across Oceans, Across Time: to progress. It is our dedicated staff Respond to our summer and Stories from the Collection or Fam- and you, our members, who have end-of-the-year appeals when you ily History and Genealogy Center,” made this possible. However, I find are able. (To me, appealing to you and a five minute weekly program that as we have made progress we who are so generous is the most oner- broadcast by radio station KJAN of have created a perception that all ous part of this job.) Atlantic, Iowa, is available. And last, is well at The Danish Immigrant Consider giving gift member- but certainly not least, our website at Museum. It is, but, ironically, it’s ships for Christmas, birthdays, www.danishmuseum.org is both not. It seems that we are at once anniversaries. (This increases our attractive and informative. getting ahead and falling behind! membership roles and the potential Moving the Family History and What do I mean? for creating relationships that grow Genealogy Center to Main Street In addition to expanding our pro- closer over time.) allowed us to increase our exhibit gramming and marketing, we have Visit the Museum, whether in space. This has led to such notable grown our endowment to $1.5 million person or through our website exhibits as one focusing on the in- and our total assets to almost $5 mil- and share with us what works and novative character of Hans Hansen, lion. To many, this indicates success. where we could make improve- an immigrant farmer who settled in But strangely enough, our cash flow ments. (And then please be patient rural West Branch, Iowa or an excep- lags behind. As we enter the 2007- when change takes time.) tional exhibit on Danish gymnastics. 2008 fiscal year, we have an accrued Celebrate our heritage and our Additionally, a Danish-American cash-flow shortfall of $129,000. This history! We have come far in twenty- artists’ series allows us to celebrate perplexes me the most, particularly four years. With your support and the work of contemporary artists for operating with the philosophy, “If you encouragement, we will continue to a period of six months. Finally, we build it, they will come!” We have build in reputation and quality, and have expanded our traveling exhibit been active; we have been working future generations will appreciate program, mounting exhibits of our hard; how can this be? and “will come.” own that have been displayed around I have learned this is not an unusual the country and partnering, as we did, 2 America Letter Published Three Times Annually By The Danish Immigrant Museum 2212 Washington, POBox 470 Tour Denmark Elk Horn, Iowa 51531 712-764-7001 800-759-9192 with The Danish Immigrant Museum FAX 712-764-7002 Eva Nielsen, editor www.danishmuseum.org email: [email protected] Board of Directors President – Marc Petersen, Omaha, NE Vice-President – Mark Nussle, Palos Park, IL Secretary – Dagmar Muthamia, Long Beach, CA Treasurer – John Molgaard, Atlantic, IA Dennis Andersen, Atlanta, GA Carlo Christensen, Glendale, CA Lone Christensen, Brown Deer, WI Ane-Grethe Delaney, Wayzata, MN Mark Frederiksen, Falcon, CO Kenneth Gregersen, Ankeny, IA Janell Hansen, Elk Horn, IA Bridget Jensen, Houston, TX Travel through Denmark, Erna Jensen, Des Moines, IA sleeping in castles, staying Harold M. Jensen, Ames, IA in Danish homes, eating at Kurt Klarskov Larsen, Oneonta, AL unique restaurants, partici- Kay Esbeck North, Ames, IA pating in behind-the-scenes Benedikte Ehlers Olesen, Eugene, OR Lynette Skow Rasmussen, Johnston, IA tours of museums, and The Honorable Consul Anelise Sawkins, celebrating the Fourth of Minneapolis, MN July in Rebild, Denmark. Linda Sloth-Gibbs, Yuma, AZ The Danish Immigrant Harriet Albertsen Spanel, Bellingham, WA Museum is offering a spe- Janet M. Thuesen, Sausalito, CA cial tour of Denmark in the Ex-Offi cio Kai Nyby, LaPorte, IN summer of 2008. The tour will begin Vern Hunter, Fargo, ND in Copenhagen on July 1, 2008 and Nils Larsen, Portland, OR will conclude back in the capital city Dennis Larson, Decorah, IA on July 13 after experiencing such Staff places as Æbletoft, Århus, Ålborg, Executive Director: Dr.