Lake Hendricks Norwegian Colony of 1873
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MNSearchers
N 44° 31.686 W 096° 27.334
14T E 702180 N 4933679
The first settlers at lake Hendricks were 31 Norwegians, arriving July 14, 1873 with 11 covered wagons and 30 cattle.
Waymark Code: WM1E3X
Location: South Dakota, United States
Date Posted: 04/17/2007
Views: 49
On May 14, 1873 they left Houston County MN and Allamakee and Winneshiek counties Iowa, following roughly highway 16 to Dell Rapids where they turned north briefly staying in Medary. On Sundays they rested and had religious services. No one brought along a gun.
The colony settled on the north side of Lake Hendricks living in dugouts and sod houses for a time. On Oct. 26 1874, they organized the first permanent congregation in Brookings County, Singsass Lutheran Church. They bought the first bell in the county. The first school term began in 1879. Prairie Farm post office was opened.
In 1875 five settlers plowed a furrow marking the road to Canby MN and five others continued it to Fountain and Medary now ghost towns. Each spring and fall a weeks trip was taken to the nearest flour mills at Dell Rapids or at Lynd MN.
The 31 colonists bore the srnames Bogen, Bjorgen, Digre, Fjeseth, Hanson, Knutson, Kosberg, Rogness, Trooian, and Winsness. Their descendants by 1958 numbered about 700 of whom over 550, stayed in th is area.
Marker Name: Lake Hendricks Norwegian Colony of 1873
Marker Type: Roadside
Marker Text: Not listed
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