People who wandered out to the Great Plains tended to be adventurous by nature. One of North Dakota’s lesser-known adventuring sons was Vilhjalmer Stefansson. Stefansson’s parents were from Iceland. They moved to Canada where he was born in 1879. From there the family relocated to North Dakota. Stefansson studied anthropology at the University of North Dakota. He went on to have a notable career.
On this date in 1913, the Bismarck Daily Tribune reprinted an article from the New York Herald about Stefansson, whose exploits began in 1904 with an expedition to Iceland for archaeological work. In 1906 he spent a year living with the Inuit, the indigenous people of the North American arctic. During a 1908 expedition he came across a previously unknown tribe. He called them Copper Inuit because of their lighter skin and hair. Some had blue eyes. Stefansson theorized that they were descended from early Norse explorers. In 1912 the National Geographic Magazine published an article titled “The Origin of Stefansson’s Blonde Eskimo.” The term “Blonde Eskimo” caught on with the public.
Stefansson returned to the Arctic in 1913. When his ship became trapped in ice, he and a few other men left to go hunting. The ice drifted and carried off the ship, so they were unable to return to it. While they eventually made their way to civilization, the ship was crushed by the ice and most of the crew was lost. This damaged Stefansson’s reputation, as many felt he had abandoned his crew.
Undeterred, Stefansson continued his explorations, making his last trip in 1918. In 1921 he arranged for four young explorers to make an expedition, but the young men he chose were inexperienced, and all perished in the attempt. Once again, Stefansson’s reputation suffered.
In spite of these setbacks, Stefansson reputation as an experienced Arctic explorer persisted. He became the director of polar studies for Dartmouth College, where his personal papers and artifacts are maintained. And in 1998, Iceland established the Stefansson Arctic Institute to promote Arctic research.
Stefansson died in 1962.
Dakota Datebook by Carole Butcher
Sources:
Bismarck Daily Tribune. “Former UND Student Enthusiastic Explorer.” 2 January 1913. Bismarck ND. Page 5.
UArctic. “Stefansson Arctic Institute.” https://www.uarctic.org/member-profiles/iceland/8749/stefansson-arctic-institute Accessed 11/22/18.
Enchanted Learning. “Vihjalumer Stefansson, Arctic Explorer.” https://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/s/stefansson.shtml Accessed 11/22/18.
