Norgwegians on the Prairie : Ethnicity and the Development of the Country Town

by LOVOLL ODD SVERRE

• ISBN13: 9780873515719
• ISBN10: 0873515714
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-08-01
• Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society Pr

Summary

Against the broad backdrop of the expanding western frontier, noted Norwegian American scholar Odd S Lovoll explores the country town through the lens of ethnicity in this pioneering study. Benson, Madison, and Starbuck, all located on the western Minnesota prairie, were settled primarily by Norwegians and served as urban centres -- railroad hubs, destinations for trade, and social nexuses -- for the farming communities that surround them. Lovoll's meticulous research into census data, careful reading of local newspapers, and extensive interviews with the descendants of Norwegian immigrants reveals strong ties to homeland that are visible today in each town's social, political, and religious character.

Author Biography

Odd S. Lovoll is professor emeritus of history at St. Olaf College and the author of numerous books including The Promise of America: A History of the Norwegian-American People. Todd Nichol is editor for the Norwegian-American Historical Association.

Table of Contents

Maps and Chart	viii
Tables	ix
Foreword	xi
Todd W. Nichol
Preface	xiii
The Western Expansion	3	(34)
The Village of Benson	37	(40)
Norwegian Small-Town Apotheosis	77	(50)
Towns of a Common Heritage	127	(48)
In the American Matrix	175	(52)
The Persistence of Ethnicity	227	(44)
Notes	271	(30)
Index	301