Dakota Territory Between 1803 and 1804 the land was acquired by the United States in the
Louisiana Purchase. The region was called the
Dakota territory. Before 1803–4, both North and South Dakota did not exist inside of the United States. After the Louisiana Purchase, the southwestern portion, drained by the Missouri River, became U.S. territory. However, the land drained by the
Red and
Mouse Rivers remained under
British control. As the U.S.
expanded westward, the
region was gradually explored and settled by
pioneers.
The War of 1812 between the
U.S. and
Britain led to agreements that defined borders, bringing the northern region under U.S. control. In 1861, the Dakota Territory was formally established, including present-day North and South Dakota, as well as parts of
Montana and
Wyoming. Settlers moved into the region, attracted by farming opportunities and the transcontinental railroad.
Native American tribes, particularly the
Lakota Sioux, faced increasing pressure and were forced onto reservations following conflicts and treaties. In 1889, the Dakota Territory was split into North and South Dakota, both becoming U.S. states.
Scandinavian Influence Scandinavians played a significant role in shaping North Dakota's early population, with Norwegians,
Swedes,
Danes,
Icelanders, and
Finns settling in the state—roughly in that order of prevalence. In their
homelands, they had spent centuries competing for economic and political power, as close-knit nations often do. Despite their rivalries, they shared common linguistic roots, a strong
Lutheran tradition, and a high level of literacy due to
compulsory education in their countries. Most Scandinavian immigrants arriving in North Dakota were already literate, having received at least six years of schooling. By 1910, North Dakota had a strong Scandinavian presence: Norwegians made up 21.3% of the population, Swedes 4.7%, Danes 2.2%, Icelanders 0.5%, and Finns 0.4%. By 1914, Norwegians alone owned about 20% of the state's farmland, primarily in the eastern, northwestern, and north-central regions. While some immigrants arrived directly from
Scandinavia, most had first lived in
Minnesota,
Wisconsin, or Iowa before moving
west. The large number of churches scattered across North Dakota can be traced back to theological and reform conflicts within the state-sponsored Lutheran church in Scandinavia. Many towns ended up with multiple Lutheran churches, each founded by immigrants with slightly different beliefs. Unlike
Germans from Russia, who tended to maintain their language and customs for longer, Scandinavians quickly embraced English, and within a
generation, they had established schools and hospitals that reflected their traditions. They also adapted swiftly to
American political life, and by 1920, Norwegians, Swedes, Danes, and Icelanders held positions at every level of
government, from townships to the state legislature.
Settlements The first
Norwegians arrived in the Dakotas as early as 1859, shortly after the treaty with the
Yankton Sioux was signed July 10, 1859. It took another ten years before the greater influx of Norwegians took place.
North Dakota Mike Jacobs of the Grand Forks Herald observed that two
Governors of North Dakota (
Ragnvald Nestos and
John Moses) "were born in Norway, almost as good politically as being a native North Dakotan". Norwegian immigrants began arriving in North Dakota in the 1870s. They settled mainly in the eastern and northern parts of the state, but today they live most everywhere in the state. Because of the lack of farmland in Norway, the Norwegian immigrants sought the wonderful fertile farmland of North Dakota. Some of the immigrants had spent a few years in other states before they finally arrived in North Dakota. In 1880 the census recorded 8,814 Norwegians in North Dakota, and by 1900 there were 73,744.
Settlers from Telemark Telemark settlers found their way to most of the major settlements in North Dakota in the late 1870s and early 1880s. In 1880, a band of people from
Telemark, settled in the area of what is now
Bue (named for the settlers' Norwegian home in
Bø, Telemark) in
Nelson County. Their main cash crop was
wheat, and they soon found that raising
cattle was also quite lucrative. The main markets were in
Valley City and
Grand Forks.
Sondre Norheim, Father of Modern Skiing, emigrated to North Dakota. On May 30, 1884, Sondre and Rannei left Norway together with three of their children– Anne (21), Åmund (14) and Talleiv (12). Their son Olav and daughter Hæge had left home previously, and their eldest daughter Ingerid, decided to stay back home. Norheim followed in the footsteps of many of his neighbors in
Morgedal and immigrated to the
United States. After having first settled in Minnesota, they moved to
North Dakota, near Villard in
McHenry County. He continued to ski when he could, though the climate and flat topography of the Dakota prairie offered few opportunities for downhill skiing. It was said he always had a pair of skis placed outside his door. Norheim grew more religious with age and helped build a
Lutheran church in Villard. He died in 1897 and was buried in Denbigh,
McHenry County, North Dakota.
South Dakota According to the
1860 Census there were 129 Norwegians in South Dakota. That changed fast; in 1880 one-tenth of the population was Norwegian, and in 1889 one-third of the population were Norwegians. The towns of
Roslyn and
Pierpont were originally almost 100 percent Norwegian, but these are very small cities. South Dakota has had a number of Governors of Norwegian ancestry but the state's third governor, Niels Boe was born in Bergen, Norway in 1847 and came to Dakota with his parents as a young man. South Dakota's 19th governor, Sigurd Anderson was born at Frolands Verk near Arendal, Norway in 1904. He came to America several years later settling with his parents in Lincoln County, SD which has a large Norwegian population. Canton, SD was the original home of the Norwegian Lutheran, Augustana College which is today Augustana University located in Sioux Falls.
Influence The immigrants from
Norway (and the rest of
Scandinavia) in the Dakotas have played an extremely important role in the development of the region. Few places in the
United States have been so influenced by one ethnic group, and because Norwegians are a relatively small ethnic group, it makes it even more clear.
Cuisine is a common and popular dish among Dakotans, not only for those with Norwegian ancestry. Those who emigrated brought their food traditions, too. The Dakotas are, together with
Minnesota, famous for their typical Scandinavian cuisine.
Lefse,
Krumkake,
Lutefisk, and
Raspeball/Komle/Klubb (called Potato Dumplings in the
United States) is just some of the food traditions there, not only eaten by
Norwegian American, but other people in the state. Churches throughout the state commonly host annual fellowship dinners open to the community. Perhaps one of the largest authentic Norwegian dinners is the annual Lutefisk Dinner hosted by the First
Lutheran Church,
Williston, North Dakota, every February. The largest
Scandinavian Festival in North America is the annual
Norsk Høstfest held every October, in
Minot, North Dakota. This five-day cultural event features Scandinavian dishes, but does accommodate those who are not fond of lutefisk by providing German entrees.
Language All of the Norwegians who came to the Dakotas spoke
Norwegian, and the number of speakers grew with the immigration. Most of them learned
English, or at least their children did. There were several Norwegian-language newspapers in the United States. But when the largest waves of immigration ended, in the 1920s, the number of Norwegian speakers decreased. That was because the second and third generation immigrants didn't learn Norwegian as a primary language, and it wasn't necessary because everyone spoke English. However, some Norwegian words and phrases survived, but are no longer pronounced with a Norwegian accent, such as
Uff da. As of 2005, 1,743 speak Norwegian as their primary language in North Dakota, which is only 0.2% of the population, and 1,097 are older than 65 years old. In South Dakota, 256 people speak Norwegian, and all of them are older than 65 years. These numbers are just for those who speak Norwegian as their primary language. The number who understand basic Norwegian is higher. This is a list of Dakotan communities with the highest percentage of Norwegian speakers: •
Northwood, North Dakota 4.41% (39 persons) •
Mayville, North Dakota 3.56% (65 persons) •
Crosby, North Dakota 2.81% (30 persons) •
Velva, North Dakota 2.51% (24 persons) •
Cooperstown, North Dakota 2.21% (23 persons) •
Tioga, North Dakota 1.42% (15 persons) •
Bottineau, North Dakota 1.35% (30 persons) •
Lakota, North Dakota 1.33% (10 persons) •
Stanley, North Dakota 1.16% (14 persons) •
Williston, North Dakota 1.13% (134 persons) This is a list of Dakotan counties with the highest percentage of Norwegian speakers: •
Divide County, North Dakota 2.25% (49 persons) •
Traill County, North Dakota 2.08% (165 persons) •
Griggs County, North Dakota 2.02% (53 persons) •
Nelson County, North Dakota 1.98% (70 persons) •
Steele County, North Dakota 1.61% (34 persons) •
Bottineau County, North Dakota 1.24% (85 persons) •
Ransom County, North Dakota 1.18% (65 persons) •
Walsh County, North Dakota 1.14% (133 persons) •
Mountrail County, North Dakota 0.98% (60 persons) •
McHenry County, North Dakota 0.95% (54 persons) == Demographics ==