ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
3051 UNIVERSITY AVENUE STOP 9000
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202

GRAND FORKS SONS OF NORWAY RECORDS

COLLECTION: OGL# 752

DATES: 1903-1978

SIZE: 2.5 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION: The Grand Forks Sons of Norway Records were deposited on permanent loan in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by the Trustees of the Grand Forks Sons of Norway in Fall 1981 (Acc.#82-981).

ACCESS: This collection is open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.

RELATED COLLECTION: OGL#1491, Sons of Norway, District IV Records

HISTORICAL SKETCH

The Sons of Norway are a fraternal and ethnic-heritage organization composed primarily of North-Americans of Norwegian descent. Its stated mission is to "promote, preserve, and cherish a lasting appreciation of the heritage and culture of Norway and other Nordic countries while growing soundly as a fraternal benefit society and offering maximum benefits to its members." Organized by Norwegian immigrants on January 16, 1895 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the purpose of fostering mutual aid within the Norwegian-American community, the society now has four hundred local lodges spread throughout the United States, Canada, and Norway. In addition, Sons of Norway also offers life insurance benefits to its members, as well as various academic and cultural scholarships designed to promote familiarity with Norwegian language and culture.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Grand Forks Sons of Norway Records date from 1903-1978, and consist of documents from the Gyda Varden Lodge #21 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The material includes meeting minutes, financial records, membership lists and publications. The records are on permanent loan from the trustees of the Gyda Varden Lodge.

BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY

Box 1
Folder

1. Minutes - Daughters of Norway: December 13, 1905 - February 4, 1913
2. Minutes - Daughters of Norway: March 20, 1913 - August 5, 1918
3. Minutes - Daughters of Norway: September 18, 1918 - June 1, 1925
4. Minutes - Daughters of Norway: June 17, 1925 - November 28, 1930
5. Minutes - Daughters of Norway: December 10, 1930 - May 13, 1936
6. Minutes - Daughters of Norway: May 29, 1936 - June 28, 1940
7. Minutes - Daughters of Norway: August 23, 1946 - December 30, 1948
8. Minutes - Daughters of Norway: January 14, 1948 - February 23, 1951
9. Minutes - Sons of Norway: June 12, 1903 - June 26, 1906
10. Minutes - Sons of Norway: April 16, 1913 - April 18, 1917
11. Minutes - Sons of Norway: May 16, 1917 - December 14, 1932
12. Minutes - Sons of Norway: January 11, 1933 - December 13, 1944
13. Minutes - Sons of Norway: January 24, 1945 - March 14, 1951

Box 2
Folder

1. Cash Book - Sons of Norway: June 25, 1903 - October 25, 1933
2. Cash Book - Sons of Norway: October 26, 1933 - March 24, 1935
3. Cash Book - Sons of Norway: December 5, 1943 - August 25, 1948
4. Cash Book - Sons of Norway: January 7, 1954 - September 24, 1958
5. Cash Book - Sons of Norway: July 7, 1963 - October 4, 1969
6. Membership Ledger - Sons of Norway
7. Publications - Sons of Norway: 1970 - 1978

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