Norwegians immigrated to the United States because of the harsh agricultural conditions in their country, the potato famine, and economic and social factors that all combined to make them the second largest group to immigrate from Europe during the period of 1880 to 1893. Their story illustrates some of the difficulties that immigrants from everywhere face.
Norwegian journalists Matunda Bigirimana and Karen Brodshaug Sveen were in Decorah last November to interview a few people about the objects their families brought when they emigrated from Norway to America. The project is now online here at NRK as an article. The artifacts that Anna Linnell and Harley Refsal show and talk about are in Vesterheim’s collection. Marvin Slind provided an English translation available here. NRK granted Marv permission to translate their article, and include the link to their page.