This year we will celebrate the bicentennial anniversary of the Norwegian emigration to the United States. On the 4th of July 1825 the Restauration set of from Stavanger, Norway with 52 passengers and set sail for New York arriving in October the same year. This is considered the start of Norwegian immigration to the US, and between 1825 and 1920, over 800 000 Norwegians left for The Land of The Free. In terms of proportion of population, Norway was second only to Ireland in number of immigrants making the journey.
Today, over 4.5 million Americans can proudly claim Norwegian heritage, and the Norwegian contributions to the US's development are considerable. Descendants of the immigrants have made their mark on society, industry and culture, especially in areas like the Midwest, New York and DC. Norwegian values like work ethic, entrepreneurship, and community lives on through the generations, and ties between Norway and the United States are strong and solid.
The anniversary will be celebrated with events in both Norway and the US. The Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Iowa has many exciting exhibitions and events planned to showcase the Norwegian history and heritage. The Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C., will also host events to celebrate the historic ties between the two nations. Some of these events include the "Around the World Embassy Tour" at the Norwegian Embassy on May 3rd. This is an annual event on D.C.'s embassy row and will include talks on Norwegian emigration history and a performance by His Majesty The King's Guard.
Please see the 200 Crossings website and their calendar for more information on events.
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