Norge, Virginia facts for kids
Norge is a small, quiet community located in James City County, Virginia, in the United States. It's not a city or a town with its own government, but rather an "unincorporated area." This means it's part of the larger county.
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Where is Norge?
Norge is found along an old road that used to be called the Richmond-Williamsburg Stage Road. Today, this road is known as U.S. Route 60. A big highway, Interstate 64, was built nearby in the 1970s. You can find Norge by taking Exit 231 from Interstate 64, which is marked "Croaker-Norge."
The History of Norge
How Norge Started
The community of Norge officially began in 1904. It was settled by people from Norway and other Scandinavian countries. Some of these settlers were new immigrants to America. Others had already lived in northern or Midwestern states. They chose Norge because the land was affordable and good for farming. The climate here was also milder than in the colder northern states.
Naming the Community
When it was time to name the new settlement, "Foster" was suggested first. This was the name of a house near the railroad tracks. But that idea was dropped. "Norway" was another suggestion, but there was already a post office with that name. So, the settlers decided on "Norge." This word is the Norwegian (Bokmål) spelling of "Norway." The first people who lived there said the name as "Nor'-ga."
The Railroad and Growth
A man named Carl Martin Bergh helped many new residents come to Norge. He was a Norwegian American farmer who worked as a land agent for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O). The C&O railroad had built tracks through the area in 1881. These tracks connected the mountains of West Virginia to the coal piers in Newport News.
The railroad line was first called "Vaiden's Siding." In 1908, the C&O built a train station at Norge. This station, called the Norge Depot, made it easy to ship farm products to places like Richmond. The train station closed in 1969. Passenger train service ended in 1971. However, Amtrak trains still stop nearby at the Williamsburg, Virginia station.
By 1909, Norge had grown quite a bit. It had 25 buildings, including homes, churches, stores, and other businesses. Some of these original buildings are still standing today.
Important Places in Norge (Landmarks)
Norge has several historic buildings that are important landmarks. In 1992, the Norge Historic District was considered for the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of places important to American history.
Viking Hall
In 1908, a group of young men called themselves the "Vikings." They bought two plots of land for just $5.00. Their goal was to build a Town Hall. They wanted a central place for dances, meetings, and parties, like the ones their parents had in Norway. Viking Hall was used for many events until the 1920s, when it started to fall apart. Later, the Norge Home Demonstration Club bought and fixed up the building. They renamed it the Norge Community Hall. Today, the community still uses this hall a lot.
Bergh Hotel
This hotel was built around the year 1900. It was owned and run by Alfred Bergh. He built it to give new people arriving in Norge a place to stay. Today, this building is a furniture store called "Williamsburg Wicker and Rattan." It has been a furniture store since the 1980s.
Kinde and Nesseth Store
Hans Kinde and John Nesseth opened Norge's first store in 1903. It was a general store, meaning it sold almost everything! You could buy clothes, fertilizer, and groceries there. In 1904, Norge's first post office was located inside this store. The building had to be rebuilt in 1908 after a fire. Today, it is an antique store called "The Old Store in the Village."
Other Landmarks
The farm home of Carl Bergh was built around 1904. It is located at the end of Farmville Lane in Norge. This house was built on the old foundation of the Farmville Plantation Manor House, which dated back to the early 1800s but burned down in the 1890s.
Other important places in Norge include the old Doll Factory and the former Williamsburg Soap and Candle Factory. There is also Our Saviour's Evangelical Lutheran Church. The Norge Train Depot is another important landmark. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
Schools in Norge
Norge is part of the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools system. The local schools for students in the area are:
- Norge Elementary School
- Toano Middle School
- Warhill High School
