The prairie village on Sletta in Radøy !

At Sletta in Nordhordaland ,53 km ,from Bergen

Exist a true North American Church and Prarie village.

All buildings have been moved from the midwest.

It tells the story of the Norwegians emigrants lives in America

The Land Of Dreams

Open-air museum "Western Norway Emigration Center" (Norwegian: "Vestnorsk utvandrarsenter" or "Vestnorsk utvandringssenter") located at the village of Sletta on the island of Radøy in Hordaland, Norway. The museum consists of six historical buildings, reassembled in a rural environment. The building were re-located from Minnesota and North Dakota from locations characterized by Norwegian American immigration during the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.

The prairie village on Sletta in Radøy.

The houses show how Norwegian emigrants lived in the Midwest.

Farthest to the left is City Hall from the city of Elizabeth in Minnesota.

The gray building is a newcombers living
 room. At the far right is Dr Sørkland's clinic.

To the right is a typical one-room schoolroom dating from 1893,from Bramton, North Dakota 

Elizabeth Township Jail and Town Hall were built in the 1880s and incorporated to one building. The jail with two cells was used until slightly after 1900. The Town Council of Elizabeth, Minnesota, donated the building to the Western Norwegian Emigration Center during the spring 2000. It was officially opened on July 6, 2002

The log cabin for Karen and Andrea Seim

This is how they might have held on at the time. Knitting and Spinning.

Perhaps it was the dream of a better life as in 1863

The couple threw themselves on the emigration wave from Norway

They settled in the rich forest landscape of Minnesota where Andreas Seim

Built this new living room which today stands on Sletta in Radøy.

The small house is built of solid American oak, in the Norwegian loft style.

The house was the first to become the pleasant town of Underwood.

The log cabin became a welcome landmark for many travelers.

Before the railroad came in 1881, it was not always that easy

  to find oneself comfortable on the endless plains of the prairie.At

Karen and Andreas they could enjoyed both a rest and a bite to eat, and good company!

"The house Halfway" it was  also called

Underwood Pioneer House

The Underwood Pioneer House was the home of Andreas Seem (1820-1890), an immigrant from Nord-Trøndelag, Norway. The house was originally built following his arrival during 1869 in Underwood in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Luverne Kiene, the great grandchild of Karen and Andreas Seem, donated the house to the Western Norwegian Emigration Center in 1997. 

A simple life

In a way, it is a testament of the  life as it behaved for the Norwegians in the Midwest. A life that was not just about good successful days, but just as much about poverty, years and tough encounters with illness and injuries Karen and Andrea were lucky to be able to build their first house of timber. Many others had to start living in earth houses at the beginningMost women brought their own coat from Norway in the american suitcase and spun their own thread knitted and woven clothes. Often it was  sent wool from Norway because american quality was not as good at the time. The woolen clothes were hidden under American clothes made of cotton but in the early 1900s the emigrants began to show off their Norwegian cultural heritage. Knitted cardigans and sweaters were now worn with pride. And of course The bunada which was also in the suitcase from Norway 

On the bed a cotton blanket sewn in American quilting technique, lined with wool 

The church that came home

The Emigrant Church on Sletta was relocated 

from North Dakota in the United States

  and got new life in Norway in 1997.

Many Americans have visited the church,

 new bonds of friendship are forged between the two countries

The church was originally called Bramton Lutheran Church

It was built by Norwegian emigrants in North Dakota in the 20th century

Their families traveled to the United States in hopes of a better life. Now young Norwegian-Americans dream of the old country,they  talk about their views on society in Norway and the USA 

The small town on the prairie. Rothsay in Minnesota. It was difficult to find any more Norwegian than Rothsey. As many as five churches were built by the Norwegians in and around the town.! In the picture from 1910 we see Hamar Lutheran Church.

Around 200 Americans had taken the trip to Norway on the American National Day itself. Many of those present had stepped on their children's shoes in what would henceforth be the emigrant church on Radøy 

 In addition to the emigrant church and the prairie village, the center library has a museum shop and a simple café. There are also many old American farms in the area, built by emigrants who returned home with saved funds.

The doctor's office of the Norwegian-American Johan Christian Serkland who came to Rothsay in 1900 is also here with all the instruments and medical bag he used .

"The difficult journey - without a suitcase, but with a lot of luggage" 

It  also tells something migrants in our time about their journey to Norway.

American suitcase or European bag - what did they take with them? 

Leaving one's homeland, from family, friends and hometown, but also from starvation, poverty, hardship or war is a difficult decision, and requires great courage.  Also in our time.

The exhibition  is based on how young adult Norwegian-Americans in Minnesota view their own lineage and identity. What does Norway have to say for them today? How are young people connected to a heritage and a past that is so "distant" - both in time and place? Seattle was one of the cities where many Norwegians settled in the last wave of emigration from Norway - which lasted until the 60s.Much has changed since   hundreds of thousands Norwegians went across the sea to the promised land of America, and after Norway found the oil, most of the emigration has stopped. The ancestors of those interviewed emigrated from a relatively poor Norway, hoping to find something better. Now the standard of living in the United States is lower than here. How does this affect the "longing for Norway" among young Norwegian Americans?Will Norwegian-Americans find the Norway they dream of? At the same time, can we also discuss what Norwegian culture really is? Is there a Norwegian culture?What does history, roots and background have to say for our identity. 

The reason I am posting this post is to increase my own knowledge about emigration and immigration.

 I have been fortunate to be part of a survey about our history. 

 The pictures are taken from the emigration museum and my own pictures.

 I found the american chest online in an antique shop. 

Two ,three hundred kroner and it is yours ,a good buy-today .

No one is interested in such: "scrapas" they themselves say. 

But I love it and like to decorate my home with old nice things. 

Thank you for watching!