Recognizing Statehood Pioneers
If you have Norwegian ancestors who lived in Minnesota at the time of
statehood in 1858, they were true pioneers. The earliest Norwegian settlers
created communities that welcomed subsequent waves of immigrants, and many
of them joined these waves in moving north and west to create new Norwegian
communities around the state and beyond its borders.
As Minnesota celebrates its Sesquicentennial, the Norwegian Statehood
Pioneer Project wants to recognize the Norwegian Statehood Pioneers and
acknowledge the contributions of all Norwegian-Minnesotans who helped create
the institutions and culture that shaped Minnesota's past and continue to
inform its future.
The Recognition Plaque
NSPP has designed a 5" by 7" plaque that we hope will become a keepsake and proud
reminder of your ancestor's place in
the history of Minnesota for generations to come. Minnesota's unmistakable outline provides
the shape of the cherrywood plaque. The black on bronze top plate identifies
the honoree as a "Norwegian Statehood Pioneer." A
Sesquicentennial Medallion ties the individual to the celebration of
Minnesota's history and statehood in 1858.
The name plate on the bottom identifies the pioneer - or pioneer
couple - being honored. Along with the plaque, approved applicants
will receive a small certificate that lists both the name of the pioneer and
the applicant.
Applying for a Plaque
To ensure that those receiving the plaque are descendants of a Norwegian
pioneer who resided in Minnesota in 1858, the
application asks for documentation that supports that premise. A $25 application
fee helps covers the cost of reviewing the applications, processing the
request and producing the heritage plaque. When multiple applications for
the same pioneer are submitted together (an individual submitting
applications for multiple family members, for example), additional
applications mailed in the same envelope will be processed for $15 each.
If you are a member of a participating organization, that organization
will process your application for a reduced primary application fee of $15.
There is no reduction in the cost of supplemental applications; they remain
$15. The application must be mailed to the participating organization
to receive the discount. Applications and mailing information can be found
on their websites or in their newsletters. If you are interested
in becoming a member of one of our participating organizations, visit their
websites. You can also find a one or two sentence description of each one on
our "About Us" page.
If you are a descendant of a sibling of a Statehood Pioneer and that
pioneer died without having children, you may apply for a plaque for that
individual. Provide proof of descent from the sibling, proof of the
sibling relationship, and an obituary or other proof that the pioneer died
without children.
Applications
Instructions
You are encouraged to include up to a 500-word biography of your
statehood pioneer and one photo that will be included in our Heritage Book.
If you have ancestors you'd like to see included in the book but do not wish
to apply for a plaque,
click here for
details.
When will I receive my plaque?
Plaques will be mailed via USPS on the following schedule:
| Applications received and approved by |
will be mailed by the end of |
| July 15 |
September |
| September 15 |
October |
| November 15 |
by December 20th |
| December 31 |
February |
For biographies to be included in the Heritage book, applications must
be received by September 15th. All plaques will be mailed based on the time table shown above. We expect
to end the plaque program at the end of December, 2008.
What if my ancestors arrived in Minnesota after 1858?
If your ancestors arrived before January 1, 1908, NSPP offers a
Century Pioneer Certificate program.
You can apply for a certificate for your statehood pioneers if you prefer.
Norwegian Statehood Pioneer Project 
