Norwegians travel to Chicago for dedication ceremony

Posted September 26, 2018 11:00 pm

Submitted by Jon Satrum

Arne Asphjell, second from left, tour director and one of the leaders of the Project Heimatt, and volunteer craftsman and builder Lars Solberg hold the national flags, with Russell Lewis, left, chief historian at the Chicago History Museum; Jon Satrum; and coordinator Erling Hanson, right. Courtesy of Arne Asphjell

Illinois State Historical Society plaque honors 1893 church building location

Norwegians from Orkdal, Norway, traveled to Chicago for the dedication of an Illinois State Historical Society commemorative plaque placed at the original 1893 location of a replica medieval wooden Christian church building.

The plaque describes the building's role at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the building's journey there from Norway in 1893, and its return to Norway in 2016.

At the exposition, it was referred to as "The Norway Building." In 2007, the replica church building was declared one of the 10 most endangered landmarks in Illinois.

A stave church is a medieval, wooden Christian church building. The name comes from the construction of the building with load-bearing posts of the church (stav in modern Norwegian) made of cured pine wood.

Most stave churches were built between 1150 and 1350. Once there were more than 1,000 stave churches in Norway, but today there are only 28 and are a great source of pride for the Norwegian people.

At the dedication, Arne Asphjell, tour director, and one of the leaders of Project Heimatt, which brought the church back to Norway, said, "It's been a long journey for the church building. The replica church was built in Orkdal, Norway, transported to Chicago and erected for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.

"After the Exposition, the church building was in more than one location, including 'Little Norway' in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. In 2016, preservationists came from Norway to disassemble and transport the building back to Orkdal, its original home," Asphjell said.

"After 10,000 hours of labor, it was reassembled and dedicated in 2017. Now we return again to honor the church's original American location."

Attending and greeting the group were representatives of local Norwegian-American organizations, including the Honorary Norwegian Consulate of Chicago, the Norwegian National League of Chicago, Trønderlag of America, Sons of Norway lodges, Leikaringen Heimhug, and the Norsk Museum in Norway, Illinois.

Representatives of the Illinois State Historical Society attended and greetings were from sent the office of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Russell Lewis, chief historian at the Chicago History Museum and Executive Committee and Governing Board member of the Illinois State Historical Society, spoke to the group about the importance of preserving history, the importance of historical markers help and thanked the group for their efforts in preserving part of Illinois history.

Many local readers know that a replica Viking ship also was built for the 1893 Exposition. The "Viking", now being restored in Good Templar Park in Geneva, was launched in 1893 in Sandefjord, Norway, sailed to Bergen, and then to Chicago to be placed near the Norway Building. The group from Orkdal also visited the Viking ship as part of their recent U.S. tour.

Those wishing to learn more about the dedication and view selected photos should visit skjoldlodge.com/orkdal-kirke.html.

When Little Norway closed in 2014, a group from Orkdal, Norway, created "Project Heimat" to bring the church back to Norway where, after reconstruction, it was dedicated in 2017. Now they return to place a dedication plaque at the original site of the stave kirke in 1893. Courtesy of Jon Satrum

The Norway Building, a replica medieval wooden Christian church, was a highlight of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. It later became the centerpiece of Little Norway in the town of Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, for 80 years. The building was later disassembled and reconstructed back in Orkdal, Norway, in 2016. Courtesy of Astri Thams collection

Dancers dressed as construction workers perform at the 2017 dedication for the Norway Building in Orkdal, Norway. The replica of a stave church had been the centerpiece of Little Norway in the town of Blue Mounds for 80 years. It was built in Orkdal for the 1893 World's Columbian Exhibition in Chicago. The building was taken apart in 2015 and shipped to Norway when Little Norway closed. Courtesy of Arne Asphjell

The sign from Little Norway in Blue Mounds was also shipped to Orkdal, Norway, where a crowd gathered for the 2017 dedication of the Norway Building that was the centerpiece of Little Norway for 80 years. Courtesy of Eva Anita Saethre

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