Friday, Oct. 9th, 2025 is a red letter day for Norwegian-Americans in North Iowa an elsewhere.  To the very day, it is the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the first boatload of Norwegians to the United States.  It is the bicentennial of the start of one of the greatest mass migrations in history.  It is how North Iowa was settled.  It is why there are so many Norwegian Lutheran churches and communities stretching from Lake Michigan to the Pacific Northwest.

On July 4, 1825, the schooner Restauration left Stavanger, Norway with 52 passengers on a one way trip to the Port of New York.   The wind-powered vessel reached New York on Oct. 9, 1825.  One newborn was added on route.  No one died on route.  Over the next one hundred years, almost 900,000 of their countrymen followed and thousands and thousands found their way to Iowa.

This bicentennial has already been celebrated with coffee parties in Belmond, a Kumla feed in Thor, a gala banquet in Lake Mills, parades in Decorah and Spring Grove and scores of events nationwide.   Indeed Crown Prince Haakon of Norway will be in Decorah to celebrate the anniversary in October.

A re-enactment of the 1825 voyage is underway.   A re-created schooner left Norway on July 4, 2025.  It will dock in New York on Oct. 9, 2025.    The arrival will be celebrated to say the least.

This bicentennial is an opportunity for parents to share some family history.   After all, not all immigrants came on the Mayflower.  Share some stories.  Dust off that old family photo album.  Family heritage is worth sharing and celebrating.