Leif Erickson led the first European expedition to North America around the year 1000. It’s difficult to determine how far inland they traveled, and their settlements were abandoned after a short time. Many centuries passed before Scandinavians began arriving in the New World in large numbers.
Norwegian immigrants were the first Scandinavians to settle in what is now North Dakota, arriving in Dakota Territory in 1869. Immigrants also came from Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, though in smaller numbers. Icelanders began arriving in the late 1870s.
Pastor Pall Thorlakson is considered the father of Icelandic settlement in the state. Serving a congregation in Wisconsin, he learned of the promising area around Pembina and encouraged the Icelanders in his flock to settle there.
On this date in 1878, John Hallson proudly completed his cabin in what would become the community of Mountain in Dakota Territory. That modest cabin built by one Icelandic immigrant marked the beginning of what became the largest Icelandic settlement in the United States. By 1879, about fifty families had relocated to the area.
Life was challenging for the settlers, and the first year was difficult. But by 1880, Thorlakson felt the small community had turned a corner. He wrote, “At last, there appeared to be good reason to believe our settlement would survive the coming winter, for several farmers had a fair crop that autumn.” Some settlers had found work on nearby farms and returned after the harvest with money to support the community. New settlers also arrived from Manitoba.
Today, North Dakota has the highest Icelandic population of any state. It also hosts the largest Icelandic gathering outside of Iceland: the Deuce of August, which celebrates Icelandic independence. On August 2nd, 1874, the King of Denmark granted a new constitution for Iceland, the first concrete step toward independence.
A small group of Icelanders celebrated that day in 1874. Icelanders in Winnipeg held a celebration in 1890, calling it “The Day of the Icelanders.” While August 2nd was never declared a national holiday in Iceland, it continues to be celebrated wherever Icelanders gather. Known as the Deuce of August, the largest celebration outside of Iceland takes place in Mountain, North Dakota.
This year, in 2025, the party is scheduled for August 1-3.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- State Historical Society of North Dakota. “Today in North Dakota History.” https://www.statehistoricalfoundation.org/todayinndhistory/?&offset=150 Accessed 6/23/2025.
- NDStudies. “Scandinavians.” https://www.ndstudies.gov/gr4/early-settlement-north-dakota/part-2-great-dakota-boom/section-7-scandinavians Accessed 6/23/2025.
- Icelandic Roots. “The Founding of the Icelandic Settlement in Dakota.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUnJzK_R6BM Acceessed 6/23/2025.
- The Deuce. “Settlement History.” https://www.thedeuce.org/settlement-history Accessed 6/23/2025.