We Have Yearly Get-togethers Called a Stevne
Norwegian-American Bygdelags (big-dah) (l-ah-gs) and their yearly
get togethers called a Stevne.
The meetings of the lags (bygdelags), consequently, are like family
reunions, similar to reunions in larger cities of residents from some
particular rural community. In the case of the lags there are stronger
ties than those of where they came from. There are bonds of language and
dialect, education, religious training, common scenery, a common
emigration experience, common pioneering, common homesickness.
Visiting, or social conversation, is of first importance, the
"Stevner". The social aspect is characteristic of all lags
(bygdelags). Despite other qualities that characterize some of these
organizations, visiting retains first place, and visiting cannot be
ignored by any of them.
They are primarily social, to foster friendship and acquaintance of
former neighbors, and to cultivate the traditions and keep alive the
memories of the ancestral home localities. They have other aims,
collecting, preserving, and publishing historical and biographical
information regarding immigrants to America who came from the
districts that the lag (bygdelag) represents.
Norwegian-American Bygdelags and their yearly "get-togethers"
are called a Stevner.
Here you will find a registration form for our Stevne (yearly get together), Stevne activities
and the theme of the Stevne (Genealogy).
By Jacob Hodnefield (Volume 18: Page 163) NANA
Norwegian-American bygdelag (big-dah) (l-ah-g) are phenomena of the
twentieth century. A bygdelag, in Norwegian speech, is a society
whose members are of one community. An American bygdelag (big-dah)
(l-ah-g) is a society composed of natives of some particular
settlement or group of settlements in Norway and of their
descendants in this country.
Bygdelags are societies made up of immigrants, and the descendants
of immigrants, who originated in particular districts in the old
country. Again, The membership was made up of immigrants from given
districts and their descendants; the bonds of union were dialect,
common customs, songs and music, acquaintanceship, and shared
traditions.
The word bygdelag (Big-dah) (l-ah-g) is made up of two parts: lag,
as used in the compound noun, means society or association; bygd
means district, parish, community, settlement. Bygge means to build.
Hence, a bygd is a place that is built up, inhabited. The word is
often applied to a small community. Along the mountainous coast of
Norway the traveler comes upon fords and inlets where there are
buildings and habitations. It was natural to call such a place a
bygd. Many of the names of the societies have an et ending, as
Nordlandslaget. The et is the definite article, corresponding to the
English the. Nordlandslaget means The North Lands Lag, the name of
the home district being Nordland.
We offer our members Genealogy help
Quartery Newsletter and Facebook Postings
Receiving the subscription-membership is a great value (quarterly
Newsletters and help with genealogy from our genealogist and other
members)
but the real purpose of the Nordlandslaget membership is the annual
social gathering every end of June organized and put on by the
members.
(Genealogy help, speakers, tours, socialize, membership ideas,
suggestions and officers voted on and a final banquet with
speakers and entertainment)
NORDLANDSLAGET STEVNE SINCE 1909
2017 (108th Stevne) End of June, Superior, Wisconsin
2016 (107th Stevne & 100th Fellesraad Celebration) May 5-8th Mpls, MN --
2015 (106th Stevne) Alexandria, MN --
2014 (105 Stevne) East Grand Forks, ND -- June 24-26
President: Owen Wiig
2013 (104 Stevne) Northfield, Minnesota -- June 25-27
(Archer House Inn) (Home of St.Olaf College and N-AHA)
President: Owen Wiig
2012 (103 Stevne) Stillwater, Minnesota -- June 26-28
(Lexington Inn) (On the St.Croix River - Lowel Inn Banquet)
President: Owen Wiig
2011 (102 Stevne) Rocheser, Minnesota -- June 15-17
(Clarion Inn)
President: Owen Wiig
2010 (101 Stevne) Fargo, North Dakota -- June 25 - 26
(Howard Johnson Inn)
2009 (100th Stevne) Granite Falls, Minnesota -- June 18-19
(Prairies Edge Casino)
2008 Bemidji, Minnesota -- June 27 - 28 (Holiday Inn Express)
2007 Moorehead/Fargo, North Dakota -- June 22 - 24
(Howard Johnson Inn)
2006 Isle, Minnesota -- June 15 - 18 (Isle Rec. and Ed. Center)
2005 Superior/Duluth -- June 24 - 25 (University of Wisconsin)
2004 Moorehead/Fargo, North Dakota -- June 25 - 26
(Howard Johnson Inn)
2003 Fridley Minnesota -- June 13 - 14 (Kelly Inn)
2002 Hudson, Wisconsin -- August 09 - 11 (Hudson House)
2001 Alexandria, Minnesota -- June 15 - 16 (Eagles Lodge)
2000 Superior, Wisconsin -- June 09 - 11 (University of Wisconsin)
1999 Decorah, Iowa -- June 03 - 04 (Luther College) (Bygdelag Centennial)
1998 Fargo, North Dakota -- June 27 - 28 (Town House Inn)
1997 Fridley, Minnesota -- June 13 - 14 (Skywood Inn)
1996 Fargo, North Dakota -- June 28 - 29 (River Inn)
1995 Superior, Wisconsin -- June 09 - 10 (Androy Hotel)
1994 Hudson, Wisconsin -- August 05 - 07 (Hudson House Inn)
1993 Fargo, North Dakota -- June 25 - 26 (Town House Inn)
1992 Stevne cancelled
1991 Fridley, Minnesota -- June 28 - 29 (Skywood Inn)
1990 Fargo, North Dakota -- June 22 - 23 (Town House Inn)
1989 Superior, Wisconsin -- June 23 - 24 (Androy Hotel)
1988 Little Falls, Minnesota -- June 10 - 11 (Pine Edge Inn)
1987 Fargo, North Dakota -- June 19 - 20 (Kringen Klub, Sons of Norway)
1986 Detroit Lakes, Minnesota -- June 13 - 14 (Holiday Inn)
1985 Duluth, Minnesota -- June 07 - 08 (Norway Hall)
1984 Minneapolis, Minnesota -- June 22 - 23
(Leamington Hotel) 75th Anniversary
1983 Fargo, North Dakota -- June 24 - 25
1982 Superior, Wisconsin -- June 04 - 05
1981 Fergus Falls, Minnesota -- June 09 - 10
1980 Duluth, Minnesota -- June 13 - 14
1979 Fargo, North Dakota -- June 22 - 23
1978 Superior, Wisconsin -- June 02 - 03
1977 Northfield, Minnesota -- June 03 - 04
1976 Moorhead/Fargo, Minnesota -- June 04 - 05
1975 Bemidji, Minnesota -- June 13 - 14
1974 Hudson, Wisconsin -- June 21 - 22
1973 Minneapolis, Minnesota -- August 10 -11
1972 Moorhead, Minnesota -- June 09 - 10
1971 Duluth, Minnesota -- June 18 - 20
1970 Alexandria, Minnesota -- August 13 - 15
1969 Minneapolis, Minnesota -- June 19 - 21
1968 Moorhead, Minnesota -- June 14 - 15
1967 Duluth, Minnesota -- June 22 - 24
1966 Alexandria, Minnesota -- June 24 - 26
1965 Minneapolis, Minnesota -- June 17 - 19
1964 Duluth, Minnesota -- June 18 - 19
1963 Moorhead, Minnesota -- June 13 - 15
1962 Kenosha, Wisconsin -- June 16 - 18
1960 Watertown, South Dakota -- June 16 - 18
1959 Minneapolis, Minnesota -- June 11 - 13
1958 Grand Forks, North Dakota -- June 05 - 07
1957 Detroit Lakes, Minnesota -- June 13 - 15
1956 Minneapolis, Minnesota -- June 07 - 09
1955 Moorhead, Minnesota -- June 03 - 05
1954 Duluth, Minnesota -- June 03 - 05
1953 Bismark, North Dakota -- June 05 - 07
1952 Ashland, Wisconsin -- June 05 - 07
1951 Moorhead, Minnesota -- June 07 - 09
1950 Watertown, South Dakota -- June 08 - 10
1949 Ashland, Wisconsin -- June 05 - 07
1948 Valley City, North Dakota -- June 11 - 12
1947 Minot, North Dakota -- June 06 - 07
1946 Duluth, Minnesota -- June 14 - 15
1945 Detroit Lakes, Minnesota -- June 18 - 19 Executive session
1944 Crookston, Minnesota -- June 16 - 17
1943 Detroit Lakes, Minnesota -- June 18 - 19
1942 Grand Forks, North Dakota -- June 19 - 20
1941 Glenwood, Minnesota -- June 13 - 14
1940 Superior, Wisconsin -- June 14 - 15
1939 Valley City, North Dakota -- June 10 - 11
1938 Bemidji, Minnesota -- June 24 - 25
1937 Grand Forks, North Dakota -- June 18 - 19
1936 Detroit Lakes, Minnesota -- June 19 - 20
1935 Fergus Falls, Minnesota -- June 07 - 08
1934 Alexandria, Minnesota -- June 15 - 16 (25th Anniversary)
1933 Hudson, Wisconsin -- June 16 - 17
1932 Thief River Falls, Minnesota -- June 17-18
1931 Fargo, North Dakota -- June 12 - 13
Dr. Carl Ingerson, first U.S. born president of Nordlandslaget
November 5, 1931, Professor O.E. Rolvaag dies
1930 Willmar, Minnesota -- June 20 - 21
1929 Crookston, Minnesota -- June 21 - 22
1928 Winnipeg, Manitoba -- July 06 - 07
1927 Duluth, Minnesota -- June 23 - 25
1926 Detroit Lakes, Minnesota -- June 18 - 19
1925 Twin Cities, State Fairgrounds -- June 06 - 10,
(Norse-American Centennial and Bygdelag Convention)
Saturday, June 6 was the bygdelag day. 37 lags had
their own stevner, with at least 40,000 participants.
1924 Fergus Falls, Minnesota -- June 21 - 22
Lag Stevne, (500 members attended)
"Among other things, the board had acquired a
banner for the 1925 Norwegian-American
festivities" Nord Norge Number 33, 1924
1923 Glenwood, Minnesota -- June 22 - 23
1922 Thief River Falls, Minnesota -- June 24 - 25
1921 Detroit Lakes, Minnesota -- June 24 - 25
1920 Duluth, Minnesota -- June 24 - 25
1919 Willmar, Minnesota --
1918 Canton, South Dakota -- June 20 - 21
(Nordlandslaget was one of very few lags that had a stevne
in 1918. Nearly 400 attended)
1917 Eau Claire, Wisconsin -- June 20 - 21
1916 Minneapolis, Minnesota --
1915 Fargo, North Dakota -->
1914 Minneapolis, Minnesota -- September 08 - 09
1913 Fargo, North Dakota -- June 23 - 24
1912 Duluth, Minnesota --
1911 Thief River Falls, Minnesota -- June 16 - 17
1910 St. Paul, Minnesota -- June 22 - 24
1909 Minneapolis, Minnesota -- January 21-22
( the first stevne )
This website is created and mantained by unpaid volunteers (members of Nordlandslaget) with limited (almost no) web design experience. Be considerate of the problems or corrections you spot. Send me corrections or suggestions and I will fix asap. Thanks. mwick4249@comcast.net