Norwegian American Historical Association (NAHA): Difference between revisions

The heart of the NAHA archives is its extensive manuscript collection, which includes letters, diaries, journals and ledgers, newspaper clippings, obituaries, congregational records, family and local histories, and other resources related to Norwegians in America. The archival collection also includes photographs illustrating all aspects of Norwegian-American history. The archives are available to NAHA members and non-members, but fees are charged for most services.  

Online researchers can search the NAHA archives in three different ways.

• [http://www.naha.stolaf.edu/pubs/nastudies.htm Norwegian-American Studies] Volumes 1-33 of Norwegian-American Studies, our scholarly journal of Norwegian-American History, are available online in a printable format.

   

• [http://www.naha.stolaf.edu/resources/links.htm Links] These external web sites may assist you in conducting research on Norway, Norwegian Immigration and the Norwegian language.

Researchers are welcome to use the NAHA archives in person. Arrangements can be made to use the NAHA archives by calling the archivists at (507) 786-3229 or by e-mailing naha-archivists@stolaf.edu to make an appointment. Appointments should generally be made several days in advance and for our regularly posted hours of 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Afternoon hours are also often available but only by advance appointment. The archivists are happy to assist visitors in finding appropriate resources, but we are able to undertake research for others only when our schedules allow and only upon pre-payment of research fees. We can answer simple research questions on the telephone and by e-mail, but we may need a few days to respond.

Visitors who are not members of NAHA pay a daily fee of $15 for use of NAHA resources. Non-members may join NAHA at the time of their first visit. Daily fees are waived for members and for students.  

Staff responses to research questions that require more than 30 minutes of work are undertaken only upon pre-payment for one hour of research at $20 (members), $40 (non-members), or $60 (commercial). Additional hourly charges may apply.  

Reproduction fees are collected in advance of any work. The fragile condition of many manuscripts and photographs may preclude any form of duplication. Please allow 2-3 weeks for the processing of all reproduction orders.  

We will make photocopies at 15¢ a page, if the condition of materials and staff time permits. (This fee includes defrayment for staff time).

   

Postage/handling fees of $4.00 apply to orders sent out by NAHA staff.  

Norwegian-American books and newspapers belonging to NAHA are housed in the [http://www.stolaf.edu/library/libs/rolvaag.html St. Olaf College Library] and may be identified with the St. Olaf-Carleton on-line catalog, Bridge. Rare Norwegian-American imprints (books and pamphlets) are housed in the library vault, as indicated in Bridge. Access to these materials requires advance notice to the circulation desk (507-786-3224). The library also houses a rich collection of Norwegian-American materials of its own, including bygdebøker.

200,000+ clippings of biographical articles on Norwegian Americans from Norwegian-American newspapers, English-language country weeklies, church and lodge magazines, obituaries, Golden Anniversary celebrations, etc. Mounted on 3x5" cards filed alphabetically. Women are usually listed under husbands or male relatives. Reference cards to longer articles are mounted in over 120 binders. Coverage: Upper Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and where there were pockets of Norwegian settlements. The main time period covered is 1914-1980's.

   

The Andrew A. Rowberg Biographical File, 1914-1978, is a 1600 microfiche set. Beginning in 1914, Rowberg searched Norwegian American newspapers and other publications to find obituaries, wedding and birth announcements, honors and tributes, and Norway visits pertaining to Norwegian Americans. His collection of some 125,000 items is arranged alphabetically by name.  

50,000+ recent obituaries, mainly from North Dakota, northwestern Minnesota. Women are usually listed under their own names. A few older obituaries are also included.

   

Clipping collection (1900-1950) of the Minneapolis Norwegian-language newspaper. Index is in the last 13 drawers of the Rowberg File, giving number of envelope in the collection of 136 boxes.

   

Collection P0539, 39 boxes. Check card file index under Inventory cards. (This also includes cards for bound family histories in the library collections.)

   

Searchable online with [http://fusion.stolaf.edu/naha Leif] or at NAHA office with inventory and index cards.

   

Pastors, teachers, etc. Directory of congregations.

   

Oslo (Kristiania) 1867-1901. Trondheim 1867-1926, with indexes 1891-1925. Kristiansand from 1873. Bergen list (1874-1924) on microfiche, with indexes by first name, surname. For Rogaland emigrants, see large red volumes with copies of parish "udflyttede" lists All the NAHA microfilms are located in the Rolvaag Library.

See also lists of emigrants from Hallingdal, Hjartdal (Telemark), Lesje, Ringebu, Vang (Valdres) in NAHA. Also in the library: Østfold (JV6734.U8). Biri/Snertingdal, Vardal/Gjøvik (E184.S24088); Land (DL576.L3B6 v.4); Nordmøre (JV6734.S56); Hjørunfjord, Vartdal, Ørsta (HV6734.S7).

Check index map; filed alphabetically, in the Archivist's office.

   

The following genealogical and reference materials are located in the Reference Room of the Rølvaag Library.

• Norwegian encyclopedia (AE43.A75) 12 volumes. Useful for place names and histories of communities.