Leadership Workshop
Sons of Norway District 5 Adult Cultural Weekend October 3-5, 2025
“Celebrating Norwegian Immigration - The Slooper 200th Anniversary”
2025 is the 200th anniversary of the first organized emigration of Norwegians to the United States. The single mast sloop”, “Restauration,” sailed from Stavanger, Norway on July 4, 1825 with 52 passengers on board. This group, often referred to as the “Sloopers,” left Norway for religious freedom and new opportunities. They arrived in New York City harbor on October 9, 1825.
The New York Quakers set aside land in upstate New York, near Rochester. After nine hard years of clearing heavily forested land to farm, they sent Cleng Peerson out west in search for better farmland. He and his group of Norwegian settlers traveled to Illinois and followed the Fox River down to LaSalle County Illinois.
Polar Star and Cleng Peerson lodges are planning to celebrate Norwegian immigration and the 200th anniversary of the Slooper arrival in America, by presenting a 3-day culture weekend October 3-5, 2025. We will honor the history and culture of the early Norwegian-American pioneers who settled and established farms and communities on the Prairie of LaSalle County, Illinois.
2025 is the 200th anniversary of the first organized emigration of Norwegians to the United States. The single mast sloop”, “Restauration,” sailed from Stavanger, Norway on July 4, 1825 with 52 passengers on board. This group, often referred to as the “Sloopers,” left Norway for religious freedom and new opportunities. They arrived in New York City harbor on October 9, 1825.
The New York Quakers set aside land in upstate New York, near Rochester. After nine hard years of clearing heavily forested land to farm, they sent Cleng Peerson out west in search for better farmland. He and his group of Norwegian settlers traveled to Illinois and followed the Fox River down to LaSalle County Illinois.
Polar Star and Cleng Peerson lodges are planning to celebrate Norwegian immigration and the 200th anniversary of the Slooper arrival in America, by presenting a 3-day culture weekend October 3-5, 2025. We will honor the history and culture of the early Norwegian-American pioneers who settled and established farms and communities on the Prairie of LaSalle County, Illinois.
Schedule – Information
Join us for a weekend of Norwegian fun featuring Slooper and Fox Valley Settlement Pioneer history, Norwegian culture and craft presentations, Norwegian games, a fun Slooper walk, a Norwegian barn dance with Norwegian folk music, a traditional Norwegian worship service, and a chance to meet descendants of those Norwegian-American immigrants at their Slooper Society Annual Meeting.
The Culture Weekend begins at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, October 3 at the Community Center in Norway, Illinois, 3667 E. 2603rd Road, Sheridan (Norway), Illinois.
Details on all events and activities will be updated as appropriate on:
Polar Star Lodge website: www.polarstarlodge.com
Norsk Museum website: https://norskmuseum.org
Questions: Contact Barb Johnson at barbJJohnsonB@aol.com or 630-632-2329.
*****************************************
If you decide to travel on Thursday, October 2, the DAY BEFORE the weekend events,
you may wish to check out one of these interesting experiences on Thursday, October 2, on your way to Norway, Illinois:
Spend the day in Geneva, Illinois.
First, see the amazing Viking ship replica at the “Friends of the Viking Ship” Museum at
Good Templar Park, 529 E. Side Drive in Geneva. https://vikingship.us.
Tours on Thursday from 11-12 a.m. and again 2-3 p.m. Donation $7 at the door but pre-registration is required on Weekend Registration Form.
“Viking,” an exact replica of the Gokstad Viking ship discovered in the 1880s, was built in Norway, then sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, up the Hudson River, through the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes to Chicago for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition (Chicago World’s Fair). Don’t miss the ship’s splendidly restored dragon head and tail on display in the Geneva Public Library, 227 S. 7th Street, Geneva.
Have lunch at Stockholm’s Restaurant and Brewery at 306 W. State Street https://stockholmsbrewpub.com,
Go shopping for Scandinavian gifts next door at The Gift Box at 310 W. State Street. www.genevagiftbox.com
Visit beautiful Starved Rock State Park in Utica, Illinois. https://www.starvedrocklodge.com
In the Visitors Center, see the movie on history of Starved Rock
Take a scenic hike up to the top of Starved Rock or to the waterfalls,
Take a tram ride,
Have lunch in the Starved Rock Lodge.
Visit the LaSalle County Genealogy Guild, 115 W. Glover Street, Ottawa, Illinois. https://www.lscgg.org.
Information about descendants in the area (newspapers, probate, obituaries, marriages, and more, on computer records, books, microfiche, etc.) Visit their website first to see what resources are available online.
Donation at the door, but pre-registration is required on the Weekend Registration Form.
Open Thursday from 9 to 4, and Friday morning from 9 to noon.
Visit LaSalle County Historical Society, 101 Canal Street, Utica Illinois. Call 815-667-4861 for hours.
Donation at the door.
If you decide to travel on Friday, October 3, the first DAY of the weekend event you may wish to experience one of these adventures during the morning on your way to Norway, Illinois. (But be sure you get to the Norway Community Center in time for opening remarks at 1:30 p.m.)
Pre-register for the “Immigration Textile Workshop - Sheep, Spinning and Småkaker” and sheep farm, from 9:00-11:30 at Esther’s Place at 201 Galena Street (Route 30) in Big Rock, Illinois. www.esthersplacefibers.com
Learn about the pioneer art of turning wool into yarn at Esther's Place!
Starting with visiting the farm and meeting the sheep, you'll walk through the steps of dyeing, carding and spinning the fibers. Then create your very own felted "småkaker"- using yarn as "icing", you'll draw a design on the cookie with needle felting, and then create a sachet ornament that is scented with glögg mulling spice and hung with a ribbon. http://wwwesthersplacefibers.com.
Pre-paid, pre-registration is required on Weekend Registration Form. Fee is $35.
Stop in Geneva, Illinois and see the Viking ship replica at the “Friends of the Viking Ship” Museum at Good Templar Park, 529 E. Side Drive in Geneva. https://vikingship.us.
Join a tour from 10-11 a.m. Donation $7 at the door but pre-registration is required on Weekend Registration Form.
“Viking,” an exact replica of the Gokstad Viking ship discovered in the 1880s, was built in Norway, then sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, up the Hudson River, through the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes to Chicago for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition (Chicago World’s Fair.
Have an early lunch at Stockholm’s Restaurant and Brewery https://stockholmsbrewpub.com at 306 W. State Street, or find lunch somewhere else on your own.
Visit the Norsk Museum at 3656 E. 2631 Road, Sheridan (Norway), Illinois. http://www.norskmuseum.org Open 9:00 to 1:00 Friday morning. Housed in the historic Hauge Lutheran Church, the museum was recognized in the Illinois register of historic places in 2015.
Donation at the door.
Be sure to get lunch on your own, on your way to Norway, Illinois.
SCHEDULE-INFORMATION -
The Culture Weekend begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Norway Community Center in Norway, Illinois, 3667 E. 2603rd Road, Sheridan (Norway), Illinois.
In addition to the scheduled weekend activities, there will be several Norwegian cultural displays along the walls of the Community Center Main Room, all day Friday and Saturday.
Bunad/Norwegian Folk Costumes
Norwegian American Genealogy Center and Naeseth Library
Animal Breeds Originated in Norway
Stave Churches
Trolls
Sons of Norway Book Club
Join us for a weekend of Norwegian fun featuring Slooper and Fox Valley Settlement Pioneer history, Norwegian culture and craft presentations, Norwegian games, a fun Slooper walk, a Norwegian barn dance with Norwegian folk music, a traditional Norwegian worship service, and a chance to meet descendants of those Norwegian-American immigrants at their Slooper Society Annual Meeting.
The Culture Weekend begins at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, October 3 at the Community Center in Norway, Illinois, 3667 E. 2603rd Road, Sheridan (Norway), Illinois.
Details on all events and activities will be updated as appropriate on:
Polar Star Lodge website: www.polarstarlodge.com
Norsk Museum website: https://norskmuseum.org
Questions: Contact Barb Johnson at barbJJohnsonB@aol.com or 630-632-2329.
*****************************************
If you decide to travel on Thursday, October 2, the DAY BEFORE the weekend events,
you may wish to check out one of these interesting experiences on Thursday, October 2, on your way to Norway, Illinois:
Spend the day in Geneva, Illinois.
First, see the amazing Viking ship replica at the “Friends of the Viking Ship” Museum at
Good Templar Park, 529 E. Side Drive in Geneva. https://vikingship.us.
Tours on Thursday from 11-12 a.m. and again 2-3 p.m. Donation $7 at the door but pre-registration is required on Weekend Registration Form.
“Viking,” an exact replica of the Gokstad Viking ship discovered in the 1880s, was built in Norway, then sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, up the Hudson River, through the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes to Chicago for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition (Chicago World’s Fair). Don’t miss the ship’s splendidly restored dragon head and tail on display in the Geneva Public Library, 227 S. 7th Street, Geneva.
Have lunch at Stockholm’s Restaurant and Brewery at 306 W. State Street https://stockholmsbrewpub.com,
Go shopping for Scandinavian gifts next door at The Gift Box at 310 W. State Street. www.genevagiftbox.com
Visit beautiful Starved Rock State Park in Utica, Illinois. https://www.starvedrocklodge.com
In the Visitors Center, see the movie on history of Starved Rock
Take a scenic hike up to the top of Starved Rock or to the waterfalls,
Take a tram ride,
Have lunch in the Starved Rock Lodge.
Visit the LaSalle County Genealogy Guild, 115 W. Glover Street, Ottawa, Illinois. https://www.lscgg.org.
Information about descendants in the area (newspapers, probate, obituaries, marriages, and more, on computer records, books, microfiche, etc.) Visit their website first to see what resources are available online.
Donation at the door, but pre-registration is required on the Weekend Registration Form.
Open Thursday from 9 to 4, and Friday morning from 9 to noon.
Visit LaSalle County Historical Society, 101 Canal Street, Utica Illinois. Call 815-667-4861 for hours.
Donation at the door.
If you decide to travel on Friday, October 3, the first DAY of the weekend event you may wish to experience one of these adventures during the morning on your way to Norway, Illinois. (But be sure you get to the Norway Community Center in time for opening remarks at 1:30 p.m.)
Pre-register for the “Immigration Textile Workshop - Sheep, Spinning and Småkaker” and sheep farm, from 9:00-11:30 at Esther’s Place at 201 Galena Street (Route 30) in Big Rock, Illinois. www.esthersplacefibers.com
Learn about the pioneer art of turning wool into yarn at Esther's Place!
Starting with visiting the farm and meeting the sheep, you'll walk through the steps of dyeing, carding and spinning the fibers. Then create your very own felted "småkaker"- using yarn as "icing", you'll draw a design on the cookie with needle felting, and then create a sachet ornament that is scented with glögg mulling spice and hung with a ribbon. http://wwwesthersplacefibers.com.
Pre-paid, pre-registration is required on Weekend Registration Form. Fee is $35.
Stop in Geneva, Illinois and see the Viking ship replica at the “Friends of the Viking Ship” Museum at Good Templar Park, 529 E. Side Drive in Geneva. https://vikingship.us.
Join a tour from 10-11 a.m. Donation $7 at the door but pre-registration is required on Weekend Registration Form.
“Viking,” an exact replica of the Gokstad Viking ship discovered in the 1880s, was built in Norway, then sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, up the Hudson River, through the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes to Chicago for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition (Chicago World’s Fair.
Have an early lunch at Stockholm’s Restaurant and Brewery https://stockholmsbrewpub.com at 306 W. State Street, or find lunch somewhere else on your own.
Visit the Norsk Museum at 3656 E. 2631 Road, Sheridan (Norway), Illinois. http://www.norskmuseum.org Open 9:00 to 1:00 Friday morning. Housed in the historic Hauge Lutheran Church, the museum was recognized in the Illinois register of historic places in 2015.
Donation at the door.
Be sure to get lunch on your own, on your way to Norway, Illinois.
SCHEDULE-INFORMATION -
The Culture Weekend begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Norway Community Center in Norway, Illinois, 3667 E. 2603rd Road, Sheridan (Norway), Illinois.
In addition to the scheduled weekend activities, there will be several Norwegian cultural displays along the walls of the Community Center Main Room, all day Friday and Saturday.
Bunad/Norwegian Folk Costumes
Norwegian American Genealogy Center and Naeseth Library
Animal Breeds Originated in Norway
Stave Churches
Trolls
Sons of Norway Book Club
