Sons of Norway facts for kids
Sons of Norway (which means Sons of Norway in Norwegian) is a special club for people who have family from Norway. It started way back in 1895. This group helps keep the culture and history of Norway and other Nordic countries alive. They also offer things like life insurance to their members. It's a non-profit group, which means they don't make money for themselves.
Today, Sons of Norway has almost 400 local groups, called lodges. These lodges are in the United States, Canada, and even in Norway itself. With over 57,000 members, it's the biggest Norwegian organization outside of Norway.
Contents
History of Sons of Norway
How it Started
The Sons of Norway began on January 16, 1895, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Eighteen people started it. They wanted to help each other get life insurance. Back then, it was hard for them to get insurance on their own. At first, only men of Norwegian background could join. They had to be between 20 and 50 years old. They also needed to be good people, healthy, and able to support their families.
More groups quickly started in Minneapolis. By the end of 1900, about 12 lodges had opened. These were in towns with many Norwegian-Americans in the American Upper Midwest. The organization then grew to both the East and West Coasts. A lodge even started in Alaska.
In 1903, a group in Seattle wanted to join. But they didn't want members to be forced to buy insurance. This was a big rule for the main group. So, the Seattle group started their own branch. They called it the Grand Lodge of the Sons of Norway of the Pacific Coast. The two groups had disagreements for a while. But in 1909, they decided to join together. By 1914, the Sons of Norway had about 12,000 members.
How it Grew
The Sons of Norway started as a bit of a secret society. But many of its secret parts were removed early in the 1900s. This happened because a church leader, Rev. Hans Gerhard Stub, asked for it.
The group published a monthly magazine called Sønner av Norge. It told members about what was happening. They also held talks about history, culture, and books. They had contests for students to write essays and give speeches. They also organized fun parties for Norwegian holidays. The Sons of Norway also worked to teach the Norwegian language in schools. Today, their magazine is called "Viking."
Joining Other Groups
In December 1938, the Sons of Norway joined with another group. This group was called The Knights of the White Cross Order. It had started in Chicago in 1863.
Daughters of Norway
Women were allowed to join local groups as early as 1916. In 1950, many "Daughters of Norway" groups joined with the Sons of Norway. Later, in 1956, they even created groups for younger members. However, the main Grand Lodge of the Daughters of Norway, which began in 1908, is still a separate organization.
Sons of Norway Today
The Sons of Norway has slowly grown across the United States. It now has lodges in Canada and Norway too. Today, the Sons of Norway tries to keep old traditions alive. But it also focuses on what it means to be Norwegian-American now.
Who Can Join
Anyone who is interested in Norwegian or Norwegian-American culture can join. As we mentioned, there are almost 400 lodges. These are in the United States, Canada, and Norway. In 1995, there were 90,000 members. By 2010, there were 64,186 members.
Help for Members
The kinds of help Sons of Norway offers have changed over time. At first, they offered life, sickness, and accident insurance. In 1934, they only offered life insurance. But over time, they added other benefits back.
Facts and Figures
Here are some numbers from December 31, 2013:
- Total Members: 58,178
- Members in the United States: 54,435
- Members in Canada: 2,499
- Members in Norway: 1,244
- Lodges (local groups): 380
- Life Insurance in Force: $675,520,000 (This is the total value of all life insurance policies they have.)
- Number of Insurance Certificates: 16,913
In 2013, Sons of Norway groups and members did a lot of good. They volunteered over 500,000 hours. They also gave $1 million to their communities. The Sons of Norway also has a large library of Nordic books. They also have a retirement home called Norse Home in Seattle.
International Meetings
The Sons of Norway holds a big international meeting every two years. It usually happens in August. Each local area also holds its own meeting every two years.
Here are some places where recent international meetings have been held:
- 2022 – Eagan, Minnesota
- 2020 – Ringsaker, Norway (This meeting was postponed because of COVID-19.)
- 2018 – Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 2016 – Tacoma, Washington
- 2014 – Jacksonville, Florida
- 2012 – Fargo, North Dakota
- 2010 – Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
- 2008 – San Diego, California
- 2006 – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- 2004 – Washington D.C.
- 2002 – Madison, Wisconsin
- 2000 – Stavanger, Norway
- 1998 – Anaheim, California
- 1994 – Saint Paul, Minnesota
- 1992 – Lillehammer, Norway
Important Buildings
Some buildings owned by the Sons of Norway are very old or special. Here are a few:
- Sons of Norway Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This building opened in 1962. In 2017, the land was sold. The building will be taken down to build new things. But the Sons of Norway will move back into the new building when it's done.
- Sons of Norway Hall in Petersburg, Alaska. This building was built in 1912. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site.
- Sons of Norway building in Minot, North Dakota. This building was built in 1915. It is part of a historic area in Minot.
