Hjemkomst Center facts for kids
Hjemkomst, which means "Homecoming" in Norwegian, is a replica Viking ship.
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1985 |
|---|---|
| Location | Moorhead, Minnesota, United States |
| Type | Ethnographic museum |
| Collections | Hjemkomst Viking Ship, Hopperstad Stave Church replica, museum exhibits, county archives |
The Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Center, often called the Hjemkomst Center, is a cool museum in Moorhead, Minnesota. It first opened in 1985. This center is home to some amazing things. You can see the Hjemkomst Viking Ship here. There is also a replica of the Hopperstad Stave Church. The museum also has special exhibits that change every few months. Plus, it keeps important historical records for the county. In 2009, the Clay County Historical Society joined with the Hjemkomst Center. Together, they became the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County.
Contents
Discover the Hjemkomst Viking Ship
The Hjemkomst is a replica Viking ship. Its name means "Homecoming" in Norwegian. This amazing ship is kept permanently in the middle of the museum. It is a full-size copy of the Gokstad Viking ship. The original Gokstad ship was found in Norway in 1880.
Building the Hjemkomst Ship
The idea for building Hjemkomst came from Robert Asp (1923–1980). He was a guidance counselor at Moorhead Junior High School. Construction on Hjemkomst began in 1974. It was built in a potato warehouse in Hawley, Minnesota. This warehouse was even called the Hawley Shipyard during the building process.
That same year, Asp found out he had leukemia. But he kept working on the ship. Many volunteers also helped him build it.
The Ship's First Voyages
In July 1980, the Hawley Shipyard was taken down. This allowed the completed ship to be moved and officially named. The Hjemkomst was then shipped overnight to Duluth, Minnesota. This happened on August 5, 1980.
Robert Asp was the captain during the ship's first trip. This voyage was across Lake Superior. Sadly, he passed away four months later, on December 27, 1980.
Sailing to Norway
In May 1982, Asp's three sons and daughter decided to fulfill his dream. They, along with eight crew members, sailed Hjemkomst to Norway. The ship left Duluth on May 11, 1982. It arrived in New York City on June 8.
Then, it reached Bergen, Norway, on July 19. Finally, on August 9, it arrived in Oslo. The ship stayed in Oslo for one year. After that, it was brought back to Minnesota on a cargo ship called MV Brunto.
-
The Hopperstad Stave Church Replica is a replica of a Norwegian stave church.
-
The Hopperstad Stave Church Replica is located at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead, Minnesota.
-
The interior of the Hopperstad Stave Church Replica.
-
This special window allowed people with leprosy to see the service from outside.
Explore the Hopperstad Stave Church Replica
The Hopperstad Stave Church Replica is a copy of a Norwegian stave church. It is located right on the grounds of the Hjemkomst Center. Guy Paulson built this church in 1998. He used cedar, redwood, and pine wood for its construction.
This replica is a full-size copy of the original 12th-century Hopperstad Stave Church. That church is found in Vik, Norway. The replica church helps remind people of the Scandinavian heritage in the Red River Valley area.
