Norwegians in Minnesota (People of Minnesota)

The images of the Vikings professional football team, the stereotype of the “Norwegian bachelor farmer,” and even Minnesotans’ speech patterns proclaim the state’s Norwegian heritage. But Norwegian settlers have contributed much more to Minnesota, as authors Jon Gjerde and Carlton C. Qualey make clear. Norwegians, who first arrived in territorial days, created lasting farming settlements, especially in the Red River Valley. Their Lutheran churches continue to dot the landscape. But their experience was also urban, as they entered the trades and industries of the Twin Cities. Today, Norwegian influence helps define Minnesota’s unique social, political, and business environment.