Lee County, Illinois

Early Norwegian Settlement

The first Norwegians known to have settled in Lee County were C. Christopher and Ole Prestegaard, both from Hardanger. They settled near Lee Post Office at a time when the surrounding population was still entirely American. The Norwegian population later grew substantially, and by 1905 a large Norwegian settlement had developed in the area.

Churches and Congregations

The first Norwegian congregation in Lee County was established in Willow Creek Township in 1858 by Pastor G. F. Dietrichsen of the Norwegian Synod. It was named The First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Lee County, Illinois, and its church was built in 1864. By 1905, the county had five Norwegian congregations and four churches. Two congregations belonged to the Norwegian Synod, two to Hauge’s Synod, and one to the Methodist Church.

Sources:

[Ulvestad, Martin. Nordmændene i Amerika. Utg. History Book Company's Forlag. Minneapolis, Minn. 1907.]