3/13/2005:
Torkel Njaa was born during this week in 1870 in Thime, Norway. He pioneered in Griggs County with a farm in the Sheyenne Valley southeast of Cooperstown. Njaa was well known for his experimentation with cerea1 grains and livestock, and some of finest horses and cattle in the county came from Torkel’s farm.
In 1914, Njaa wanted a good watchdog and decided try importing a German shepherd. He was impressed, imported several more, and started breeding them for sale. The quality of his dogs gained widespread attention, selling in all parts of the country, including Hawaii, and also the Philippines. Torkal’s canine industry reached its peak in about 1924, but the popularity of German Shepherds continued to grow and ended up becoming a nationwide fad.
Dakota Datebook written by Merry Helm