OLDS — A Norwegian professor is busy writing website content in the wake of his visit to Olds, relating the experiences of Norwegians who migrated to central Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Professor Gunnar Tore Nerheim from Stavenger, Norway, took part in two traditional Norwegian Kafes at the Mountain View Museum & Archives in Olds June 9-10.
During that time, he met with residents as he researched the history of Norwegian settlement in the area.
Before arriving in Olds, Nerheim spent two weeks in Saskatchewan doing the same thing.
It’s not the first time Nerheim has visited the museum and archives. He spoke to residents during a visit there in 2023.
Nerheim is fascinated with the journey Norwegians took to settle in various places in North America.
“First, they emigrated from Norway to the Midwest, and then went from Minnesota to the Dakotas, and then they wanted farms for their grown-up sons or more value for their money. So they sold their farms in the Dakotas and went up here,” he said during an interview with the Albertan.
“I'm trying to find this out, what was the most typical pattern? Where did they settle in Alberta? I know many settled in southern Alberta, and I know many settled in central Alberta,” he said.
“We are here this time to see if I can find even more documentation,” he said.
Nerheim said his trip to Olds and area was “very successful,” as he learned of Norwegians who settled in the Harmattan area.
He repeated an observation he made in 2023, that he believes the Norwegian settlers felt more at home in the hilly, mountainous parts of Alberta.
“I can tell why this landscape attracted Norwegians, because it's hilly; it is trees, it's water. Well, it's definitely more cold than in Norway, but I can see why they settled. It reminded them of home, only everything is much larger measure.”
Now that he’s collected his material, Nerheim’s plan is to publish six articles online at clengpeerson.no on Norwegian settlement in Saskatchewan and Alberta in six months.
“I'm so old I don't I don't write books anymore,” he said. “So I'll see how much I can manage to get on the internet pages before I die.”
Nerheim remains very impressed with the museum and archives, especially given the fact that it’s a relatively small museum working on a very tight budget.
“It's a small museum, but it's excellent,” he said.
“I don't like the ones that look like scrap yards along the road. But this is way out. They have very good documentation. They make good exhibitions in relation to their resources. And I say this, I've been for 10 years the CEO over Norwegian museums on science and technology.”
He said the museum staff are very helpful when he’s looking for photos or illustrations to go with his stories on the web.
“If we want pictures to illustrate the articles, well, we send an email to Mountain View Museum and say, ‘do you have anything on this or that?’ And they have excellent collections.
“So we say, OK, we’ll put your stuff on this internet page as illustration, and we’ll give you credit.
“Don't forget to tell them how happy I am at your museum, because they are really good. Those two ladies there, they are professional. The pity is they have so little money.
“But they are very nice to work with, and I'm gladly helping them.”
