Towner County, North Dakota

Early Norwegian Settlement

C. H. Olsen, who came from Battle Lake, Minnesota, and settled in the vicinity of Maza in 1884, was the first Norwegian settler in Towner County. Olsen had been born in St. Croix County, Wisconsin. Later that same year came Peder Sæter from Røros, together with Nils Sæther and L. Sæther from Sogn. The settlers built sod houses and began growing wheat. Devils Lake, about forty miles away, was their nearest market.

Churches and Congregations

By 1905, Towner County had seven Norwegian congregations and five churches. Three congregations belonged to Hauge’s Synod, two to the Lutheran Free Church, and two to the United Church.

Norwegian Place Names

Kildahl was the only Norwegian place name in the county by 1905.

Sources:

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