Click Caroling at Bethania Lutheran on Saturday, December 7, 2019
Nordic Fest 2019
Gail Judisch provided the idea and materials for this year’s Luren Nordic Fest window display at Amundson’s Clothing, 130 West Water Street.
Roger Buhr helped her put it together. It features the ship Restauration and the first Norwegian immigrants who came in 1825, in search of religious freedom
as provided in the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
On what is considered the first organized emigration from Norway to the United States, Restauration set sail from Stavanger on July 4, 1825, with 52 people aboard, many of them Norwegian Quakers. Probably many of this group belonged to a similar local movement, the Haugeans, a Lutheran sect which derived its name from Hans Nielsen Hauge. The group, led by Cleng Peerson, landed in New York City on October 9, 1825, after a three-month voyage. The voyage is described in Ole Rynning’s Amerika-boka (The America Book, 1838).
For a vessel of her size Restauration had far more passengers on board than were allowed by American law. This resulted in a severe fine, confiscation of the ship and the arrest of the captain, L. O. Helland. The situation was solved when President John Quincy Adams pardoned the captain on 15 November, released him and the ship, and rescinded the fine. The people who made this voyage, who are sometimes referred to as the “Sloopers,” moved onward to their first settlement in Kendall, Orleans County, New York.
In 1925, on the centennial of Norwegian emigration, the United States Post Office issued two stamps to commemorate the 1825 arrival. The 2-cent stamp has for its central design a ship representing Restauration. The illustration on the two cent stamp is an artist’s rendition of what Restauration probably looked like based on a drawing of its sister ship. The 5-cent stamp has for its central design a Viking ship.
The light house is on loan from Penny and Rich Leake from their collection.
The copy of the schooner painting is courtesy of Susan and Dale Goodman. Dale’s ancestors came on the Restauration from Stavanger and settled in the United States.
We thank Ross Hadley from Amundsons Clothing for allowing us to use the space.
Singing for Vestlandslag Stevne Group at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church 6/20/2019
Singing for Vestlandslag Stevne Group
Washington Prairie Lutheran Church