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The
Opdalslag
Founded 1920, reestablished in 2002.
Some history of the
reunions of Oppdal descendants in America:
It was in the Yankton,
SD area that many of our forefathers settled when they emigrated from
Oppdal, Norway at the end of the 1800's. It was here that descendants
of the over 2,000 Oppdalings, who immigrated to the United States,
gathered three weeks ago. The Opdalslag was reactivated eighty-three
years after it was begun in Seattle, WA.
In August of 1920, Erik
H. Loe was responsible for beginning the organization in Woodland Park
in Seattle, WA. Although a Trondelag had been in existence, the Oppdal
people decided that they should have their own lag. The first year the
lag had 68 members, but soon it became one of the largest lags in the
United States. The Opdalslag had its largest membership in 1931 with
401 members. In 1925, five years after the Opdalslag was organized in
Seattle, WA, the many Opdalings who had settled in the Midwest near
Yankton, organized their own lag.
At the library in
Oppdal, there is enormous meaningful information contained in the 13
yearbooks published, by the lag, between the years 1922-1941. In these
yearbooks there are about 1000 pages containing interesting stories of
the lives and experiences of the Opdalings who left Oppdal, and about
those who died far away from their homeland. Obituaries have a special
place in the yearbooks. They also have fascinating histories or
stories of the Opdaling's new lives as well as nostalgic remembrances
of the homeland they had left.
The homeland was unable
to support the steadily growing population. Census numbers from 1800
on in Oppdal climbed so dramatically that it became necessary for many
to say good-bye to friends and relatives to seek a new life in
America. Many of them never returned. In 1865 there were 4500
inhabitants in Oppdal. Fifty years later the numbers were 3760.This
decline was caused by the massive emigration. The Opdalings settled in
two places in USA: Snohomish County in state of Washington, and on the
prairies in the territories between Sioux City, Iowa, Sioux Falls and
Yankton, SD.
Scandia Lutheran Church in Centerville, S.D.
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Opdalslag
Group Picture 17 September 2011 Centerville, SD at Scandia
Lutheran Church |
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Group
Picture Sept. 17, 2011
Names by Rows
Row 1: Pauline Strait, Peggy
Nyhaug, Edla Aune, Harold Nyhaug, Evy Kuecker, Judy Johnson, Doris
Bryant, Helen Bak and Lillian Johnson.
Row 2: Arlene Johnson, Verna
Nelson, Audrey Larsen, Ken Mjoen, Norma Jensen, Norma and Russ
Nyhaug, June Munkvold,
Sherree Schmiedt, Deb and Steve Lamb.
Row 3: John Reese, Robert and
Dorothy Rice, Mary Rist, Mary Kepp, Helen Glish, Maureen Sliper,
Mildred Schill, Joann Johnson,
Dorothy Husher and Mavis Overgaard.
Row 4: Jim Olson, Hazel Haugland,
Eunice Mansfield, Ronda Nelson, Howard Reese, Nancy Rasmussen,
Delores Cleveland,
Mary Ann Peterson, and Carol Broderson.
Row 5: Paul Miller, Edward
Mansfield, Gary Larsen, Helmer Haugland, Mark Rasmussen, Bob
Sliper, Joel and Stephanie Fagerhaug,
Harley Johnson, and Verlyss Jacobson.
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Opdalslag
Charter members |
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Names for 2011 Charter Members Picture
Front Row: Evy Kuecker, Edla
Aune, Harold Nyhaug, Judy Johnson and Lillian Johnson.
Back Row: Howard Reese, Norma Nyhaug, Ken Mjoen, Peggy Nyhaug,
Carol Broderson,
Mary Kepp, Russ Nyhaug, Deb and Steve Lamb, John Reese, Verna
Nelson,
Sherree Schmiedt, and Pauline Strait.
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List of
Charter
Members
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Edla
Aune
Carol Broderson
Pat Bruegmann
Dick and Arlene Fossum
Lillian Johnson
Judy Johnson
Mary Kepp
Evy and John Kuecker
Steve and Deb Lamb
Marjore Lee Lindsay
Eunice and Ed Mansfield |
Ken
Mjoen
Verna Nelson
Harold and Peggy Nyhaug
Russ and Norma Nyhaug
Virgil and Darlene Pederson
Earl Reese
Howard Reese
John Reese
Sherree Schmiedt
Vance and Virginia Sneve
Pauline Strait
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View
a photo album of recent events - Click here
These pictures are from
Opdalslag Stevne beginning in Sept. 2008.
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ORD
FRA PRESIDENTEN
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Well, I thank you all for the
honor of serving as the President of the Opdalslag. I guess since
I had ancestors from three different lines that were members, it
is only natural that I continue the tradition. Unfortunately, I
missed out on much of the Norwegian culture as I was growing up,
but I remember the family reunions of the Munkvolds’ and Husbys’.
There was the great food, running wild with my 1st and 2nd
cousins, singing the Doxology at the meal. Being the oldest of my
siblings by several years, I remember many of those that are now
gone and I guess that is one of the reason I became interested in
History and Genealogy. I urge you to write down things that you
remember as a child; about your Norwegian ancestry especially.
Even things that you think are not important. As an example, my
mother and her brother and sisters would fight over who got the
skim off the top of the warm milk. My grandfather playing baseball
in the Center Point-Midway-Irene area in around 1913.
My main concern, however, is the
dwindling numbers of members and the average age. We must
encourage the younger folks to get involved so that they can carry
on the culture of Norway and the culture of the new Americans our
ancestors where and how that culture changed over time.
A big Thank You to those that
put so much time into the lag, especially Evy Kuecker for the
Aarbooks and genealogy work she has done.
Paul Miller, President
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Message from Opdalslag Committee
Members
Our Opdalslag is in need of
younger members in order to keep our organization going. We enlist
each of you to identify and encourage potential members (relatives
or not) to become interested in membership in our organization.
This is a wonderful Lag and it takes many people to make an
organization. Many of our members are getting up in age and it
would be nice to invite potential members to join our Lag. It is a
joy to keep up on genealogy and our Norwegian heritage. This is
one way to keep in touch with our Norwegian relatives and friends.
Beautiful Views of Norway
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STEVNE
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
OPDALSLAG
HERITAGE FESTIVAL
SEPTEMBER
8 & 9, 2012
CENTERVILLE,
SOUTH DAKOTA
SCANDIA LUTHERAN
CHURCH & FELLOWSHIP HALL
| Saturday, Sept.
8th |
TBD
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| Sunday,
Sept. 9th |
TBD
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Click
here for a printable 2010 schedule of events!
PRE-REGISTRATION
REQUIRED FOR BOTH MEAL FUNCTIONS!
No meal tickets
will be sold at registration table.
For more information on lodging, or
for pre-registration materials, contact:
Pauline Strait,
158 West Lake Drive,
Arlington, SD 57212,
Phone:
(605) 983-5488;
E-mail: phstrait (at) gmail.com.
Downloadable
forms are also available from www.opdalslaget.com.
PRE-REGISTRATION
FORMS ARE DUE BY AUGUST 30TH
Click
here for a printable 2012 registration form!
Our dues run
from Sept. 1 through Sept. 1 and the dues are $10 per person or $15 per
couple.
Dues are to be sent to Pauline Strait the secretary. Her address is:
Pauline Strait
158 West Lake Drive
Arlington SD 57212
HISTORY
1933 Opdalslag
The Oppdalslag met at Zion Lutheran Church, rural Volin, on the 24th and
25th of June, 1933. The meeting was very good and well received. The
weather on Saturday was quite cool so many people came that first day.
Registration began at 10 o'clock and many yearbooks were distributed.
After lunch, which was served by the women of Zion congregation, the
business meeting began at 2 o'clock conducted by the president, Pastor
J. B. Reese. The secretary's report was read and approved, likewise the
treasurer's report. The members of the museum committee from the
preceding year remained the same, because they had nothing to report.
The following people were elected for the following year:
President-Pastor J. B.
Reese, Mitchell
1st Vice president-A. H. Hagen, Irene
2nd Vice president-Martin Bjorlo, Wessington Springs
3rd Vice president-Chris Nyhaug, Volin
Secretary-S. O. Vognild, Irene
Financial secretary and treasurer-O. I. Sneve, Irene
Directors-H. O. Vognild, Volin and H.B. Reese, Wessington Springs
Editor of the yearbook-Mrs. Kristine Haugen, Sioux City, IA. It was
decided that H. B. Reese would help gather material for the next
yearbook which would come out in two years providing that the officers
feel that it will be economically possible.
Resolutions committee-Mrs. Martin Bjorlo, Miss Guri Back and Haakon
Melemseter.
A motion was made to send
a greeting with H. B. Reese to the Western branch when he together with
his wife and son travel out there. Greetings to the Lag came from Even
Satrum, Kidder, Johanna Hooker Nelson, Kendrick, ID, and Knute Lien,
Oppdal, Norway. It was decided to send greetings to Ole Back and family
because of Mrs. Back's illness, likewise to old Ingebrit Satrum of
Canton. It was left to the officers to decide the time and place of the
next meeting.
In the evening two hundred people enjoyed a sumptuous meal provided by
the women. They had made all kinds of good Norwegian food including
rømegrøt, gomme, and much more. During the meal Evelyn Vognild, June
Pederson, Lillian Engen, and Mrs. Carl Wright provided beautiful music
and Mrs. Fjaere sang beautifully "Kan du glemme gamle Norge."
The president thanked the congregation for letting the Lag meet there
and Pastor Fjaere gave a welcome from the congregation.
The evening program began at 8 o'clock with a song by the men's choir of
the congregation. Dr. Einar Haugen, a professor of Norwegian language
and literature from the University of Wisconsin gave a very good talk on
Rolvaag and his writings. He reminded us that it was Rolvaag who through
his writings had acquainted the world with the kind of people the
Norwegian pioneers were and of what they had done out here on the
western prairies. For it was from here that his ideas came that he used
in writing his world famous stories. Sæterjenten's Søndag was played
beautifully by Evelyn Vognild and Mrs. Carl Wright and short talks were
given by Pastor Fjaere and Mrs. Kristine Haugen. Pastor Fjaere gave the
benediction.
Sunday morning there were many people who came and the large church was
overflowing for worship services. President J. B. Reese began by reading
Psalm 90 and offering prayer. The Zion church choir sang and a
collection was taken to defray the expenses of the lag. Pastor Fjaere
preached the festival sermon using a text from Jeremiah: "Blessed
is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is."
Many thanks Pastor Fjaere for the clear and good talk you gave us. The
church choir sang another song and the benediction was given by Pastor
Fjaere.
Sunday afternoon was spent in greeting and visiting with old
acquaintances and friends.
Sunday evening there was music again by the aforementioned ladies. The
resolutions were read by Guri Back thanking the pastor and the
congregation and all who had taken part in the program and to the women
of the church for their gracious hospitality. Then one of the Norwegian
American films was shown-"A trip through the country of
Norway." Pastor Fjaere closed with prayer. Coffee was served in the
church parlor. Thanks to everyone who came and to help make this so
festive and enjoyable.
Contact
us:
* Secretary,
Pauline Strait, 158 W. Lake Dr., Arlington, SD
57212, 1-605-983-5488,
E-mail, phstrait (at) gmail.com
* Newsletter Editors/Genealogist,
Evy Kuecker 3101 11th Ave., Kearney, NE 68845-3332,
1-308-237-5651,
E-mail: evykuecker (at) charter.net
The officers of Opdalslaget are:
Other Officers:
* President, Paul
Miller
* Vice-president, Joel Fagerhaug
* Treasurer's , John Reese
* Advertising, Computer & Media Coordinators,
Sherree Schmiedt and Evelith
Kuecker
* Historians, Mary Rist
* Past President, Howard Reese
Planning committee:
* Edla Aune
* Carol Broderson
* Stephanie Fagerhaug
* Judy Johnson
* Ken Mjoen
* Harold and Peggy Nyhaug
* Earl & Diane Reese
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Last updated 11/16/2011 08:22 AM -0700 |
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