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Visiting the Prairie States

Lynn Young, President General

On Friday, September 12th, I flew from Houston to Fargo, North Dakota to begin my fall travel. Greeted at the airport by North Dakota State Regent Nancy Legerski and Past Vice President General Alice Ellingsberg, we drove the short distance to the conference hotel where we were greeted by South Dakota State Regent, Lavonne Anderson. 

Nancy and Lavonne are to be commended for having the courage to hold the first joint meeting. At the beginning of this administration, I mentioned to the State Regents that I was well aware that it not only stressful but often a financial hardship on state societies to host the President General. While National pays for my transportation to the state, the state societies are responsible for the hotel and meal expenses.  While I hope to visit every state and many of the units overseas, I did not want to be a burden to the societies, so I suggested they combine a visit if it worked for their members.   Hence, history was made as North Dakota and South Dakota hosted the first joint official visit of which I am aware.  Congratulations, Lavonne and Nancy!

While the North Dakota Society held their 104th State Conference, South Dakota Daughters held their State Officers Club and Board of Management meetings.  Saturday morning those of us who did not have to attend meetings had the delightful opportunity to visit the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead, MN, across the Red River from Fargo.   As you may know, the North and South Dakota are among the states with a strong Norwegian and Scandinavian heritage.  

A featured exhibit at the Hjemkomst (pronounced Yem-komst) Center is a replica of a Viking ship built by Robert Asp to honor his Norwegian ancestors.  The word “Hjemkomst” means “homecoming” and indeed Robert Asp did.  For years he worked on the ship during weekends and summers in Minnesota while working as a school counselor.  He was able to sail the ship on Lake Superior with his children among the crew members prior to his death in 1980.  His family and friends completed his vision by sailing the ship 6,100 miles from Duluth, MN to Bergen, Norway in 1982.

Another fascinating exhibit at the Museum was the Hopperstad Stave Church.  Stave means “a vertical piece of wood” and this type of church was built at the end of the Viking era around 950-1050 AD. This particular church is a full scale replica of one built circa 1125-1150 in the town of Vik, Norway.  Constructed of cedar, redwood and pine, all of the carving was done by Guy Paulson to honor his family’s Christian heritage. The church is 72 feet high and the interior rafters look like an upside down Viking ship.  We had an amazing tour guide whose passionate explanation of the symbolism of the church moved all of us.

Both states attended the Saturday luncheon featuring reports of State Chairs, followed by a service project benefitting veterans.  Saturday afternoon members from both North and South Dakota participated in skit featuring portraits of early North and South Dakota DAR Daughters, including several Real Daughters. Also included was the fascinating story of Edith Scott Magna, President General, 1932-1935, who was the first to fly as a method of transportation.  Nancy shared a photo of Mrs. Magna when she arrived in South Dakota in 1937 in an open cockpit plane. She sated “I was such a sight, landing in Watertown with flying togs, and greeted by DAR Daughters in their finery.”  

Following the skit, General George Custer, aka Steve Stark, presented a fascinating history of the Red River Valley as he sketched the characters in the area’s history.

It was an honor to personally present certificates to the chapters achieving 100% participation in the President General’s Project.  Following my presentation at the banquet Saturday evening, we celebrated the 125th anniversary of the Dakotas’ statehood with a birthday cake.  The Dakotas were created in 1861 and the name “Dakota” means allies in the native language. The recent oil boom in North Dakota has benefitted both state societies as their membership has grown considerably. 

Sunday morning the North Dakota Society remembered their departed Daughters, followed by a business meeting.   My Dakota visit ended Sunday afternoon as I departed for Alaska with a new appreciation for the prairie women.