As Minnesota celebrates the 150th anniversary of statehood, the
Norwegian Statehood Pioneer Project will recognize those Norwegian pioneers
who were here when the state was born and
contributed to the development of its institutions and culture.
Norwegians began settling in southeastern Minnesota in the early 1850's. In
the decades that followed, many of those pioneers and their descendants
migrated north and west and helped establish new communities throughout
Minnesota. Over 850,000 Minnesotans list Norwegian as their primary
ethnic heritage - more Norwegian-Americans than in any other state in the
union. The influence of Minnesota's Norwegian pioneers didn't stop at Minnesota's borders - many
moved on to the Dakotas, Montana, Washington. and Oregon. The earliest
Norwegian Minnesotans built a history and heritage that touches descendants
throughout the United States!
Recognizing Individual Pioneers
Our Recognition Program is the centerpiece of the project. Direct
descendants of Norwegian settlers who lived in Minnesota in
1858 can apply for a wooden Minnesota-shaped plaque bearing the name of
their pioneer/pioneer couple. Applicants must supply documentation supporting the
ancestor's residence and line of descent. The basic application fee is
$35. The second and any additional applications for the same pioneer
submitted together (parents applying for themselves and their children, for
example) are just $25. Members of participating organizations
can direct their applications to the organization and pay $25 for all
applications.
Some parts of Minnesota weren't settled until after the turn of the
twentieth century. In order to acknowledge all of the Norwegian
pioneers who helped build our great state, our Century Certificate program
offers recognition for all Norwegians who lived in the state prior to
January 1, 1908. Direct descendants of these settlers must supply
documentation supporting the ancestor's residence and line of descent.
The application fee for a Century Certificate is $10.
Sharing and Preserving the Stories of the Statehood Pioneers
Participating organizations will publish stories about Norwegian
settlements in Minnesota in the 1850's. These stories not only provide
insight into the early history of Minnesota, but also into the broader story
of Norwegian immigrant history.
Stories published by participating organizations and contributed by
individuals will be gathered into a soft cover heritage book that will be
published in February 2009. Statehood Pioneer applicants are
encouraged to provide a brief biography and, if available, a photo that can
be included in that section of the book. The name, location, and date
of residence will be listed for Century Pioneers. A recap of the
October Celebration will also be included in this commemorative volume that
should be available for Christmas giving.
Celebrating Our Norwegian-Minnesotan Heritage
On October 18th, we celebrated 150 years of Norwegian-Minnesotan heritage
in a day long celebration at the Marriott Hotel in Rochester! Check
out the "October Celebration" tab for more about this historic event!
Norwegian Statehood Pioneer Project 
