Guide to the Midwest Institute of Scandinavian Culture Collection, 1960-2023

Last Updated Thursday, January 11, 2024, at 6:00 am

Overview of the Collection

Repository:
Special Collections & Archives
McIntyre Library
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
P.O. Box 4004
105 Garfield Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004
(715)-836-2739
http://www.uwec.edu/Library/archives/info.htm

Reference Code: USGZE UHC382

Accession Number: 23-020

Collection Number: UHC 382

Creator: Midwest Institute of Scandinavian Culture (Nordenfolk)

Title: Midwest Institute of Scandinavian Culture Collection

Dates: 1960-2023

Quantity: 3.8 linear feet (7 archives boxes, 1 oversized folder); Digital Materials: 1 File, 721 MB

Location of Collection: B6/3g (Box 1-7); Oversized Folder: Rm. 5012 Folder 01, Drawer 01; Digital Asset Preservation Storage: “UHC382_MWISC”

Languages: Collection materials are primarily in English.

Summary: The Midwest Institute of Scandinavian Culture (Nordenfolk) collection shows the influence of ethnic Scandinavian roots on local Midwestern culture and documents the activity of the organization both regionally and abroad. Includes meeting minutes, bylaws, program materials, correspondence, maps, annual reports, certifications, photographs, blueprints, membership lists, newsletters, and a 30-minute digitized documentary of the institute’s history, from 1961-2023 (bulk 1970s-2010s).

Biographical/Historical Note

The Midwest Institute of Scandinavian Culture (Nordenfolk) was founded on July 6, 1960, under the name Wisconsin Institute of Scandinavian Culture by A. Elmer Anderson, Mrs. Kempton German (also called Mrs. K. L. German), Orville Torgerson, Ralph Gilbert, Trygve Ager, Henry Christoffersen, Gerald O. Thorpe, and Lawrence Wahlstrom. Since the earliest days of the organization, the main goal was “to promote a better understanding and appreciation of Scandinavian Culture among all people regardless of race, religion, age, or ethnic background.” The founders wanted to fill a gap in opportunities for people to learn about the history and culture of Scandinavian countries. They emphasized the importance of both historical and contemporary Nordic culture on Midwestern culture. Throughout the years, they held annual programs to celebrate holidays like Syttende Mai and retreats to encourage student involvement. To help the institute afford the costs of the organization, they opened a retail Scandinavian Shop at 16 S. Barstow St in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, alongside donations from family members and supporters.

A year after their founding, the Midwest Institute of Scandinavian Culture began their tradition of celebrating Syttende Mai, a tradition they still hold today. Alongside Syttende Mai, they have celebrated Finnish Independence Day, Midsummer, and more. The institute encouraged community interest in contemporary Scandinavian culture by inviting performance groups to get involved in local events. The organization understood the importance of student involvement and held retreats every year to educate the younger generation about their heritage. For students that could not afford to attend, they sponsored them through the Wallenberg Fund.

Their involvement extended beyond holiday programming in 1971, when they purchased 50 acres of land in Eastern Dunn County, and a few years later, they received 8 additional acres. L. Wahlstrom had the ambitious plan of creating a Nordic Center that would provide students and hobbyists with a way to study Nordic life. However, the Nordic Center was never built because they did not raise enough money and Wahlstrom refused to go into debt. After Wahlstrom’s death, Dawn Bergstrom planned to turn the land into a memorial to the original founders through signs. On May 30, 2012, the institute’s board of directors approved a resolution to enter the land into the Wisconsin Managed Forest Program and by December 29, 2022, the land was sold for $118.5k and given the name “Elk Creek Bottoms Preserve.”

As of 2023, the Midwest Institute of Scandinavian Culture has a website that continues to update their members on their activities and community involvement. On their website, they claim to “support Scandinavian Culture with Workshops, Retreats and Presentations. Projects include a local Folk Fair, Wahlstrom Nordic Workshop for college students, and a yearly Syttende Mai celebration.” To learn more about the institute, look at their website: https://www.nordenfolk.online/

Content Description

The Midwest Institute of Scandinavian Culture (Norden Folk) collection shows the influence of ethnic Scandinavian roots on local Midwestern culture and documents the activity of the organization both regionally and abroad. The materials of this collection date from approximately 1960-2023, with the bulk of it falling between the 1970s and 2010s. Included in the collection are meeting minutes, correspondence, emails, maps, annual reports, certifications, director’s manuals, program statements, photographs, negatives, blueprints, program materials, membership lists, newsletters, and a 30-minute digitized videocassette documentary of the organization’s history.

This collection is arranged into six series. Series 1 of Administrative Materials shows the history of the institute, constitution and bylaws, director’s manuals, dedications, blueprints, maps, photographs, a 30-minute digitized videocassette documentary of the organization’s history, and certifications, ranging from 1968-2022. Series 2 includes meeting minutes and related correspondence from 1968-2023; Series 3 includes correspondence letters and emails from 1962-2013; Series 4 includes program materials that are associated with the various public activities of the institute (some papers are written in English and Swedish/Norwegian) from 1961-2018; Series 5 and 6 include membership lists and newsletters from 1971-2022.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information: Transferred to the University Archives by Timothy Siverston in December 2022.

Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public.

Use Restrictions: Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. Copyright owned by the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire.

Processing Note: Processed by Guinevere Fischer in August 2023.

Arrangement: By series.

OCLC #: 1409529055

Subjects

Personal Names:
Aalto, Alvar
Ager, Trygve
Anderson, A. Elmer
Bergstrom, Dawn
Bergstrom, Mr. Everett
Borssen, Per-Ake
Christoffersen, Henry
Eichinger, Evadine
German, Mrs. Kempton
Gilbert, Ralph
Ingwerson, Niels
Mr. Stapleman
Proctor, David
Shakelford, Jole
Thorpe, Gerald O.
Thorpe, Gordon
Torgerson, Orville
Wahlstrom, Jon
Wahlstrom, Lawrence

Corporate Names:
Midwest Institute of Scandinavian Culture
Sons of Norway
Wisconsin Institute of Scandinavian Culture

Subject Terms:
Architecture
ASI
Charitable Organization
Conservation
Finnish Independence Day
Folk Fair
Green Thumb Project
Leif Erikson Day
Midsummer
Midwestern Culture
Nordic Center
Nordic Culture
Scandinavian American Organizations
Scandinavian Americans
Scandinavian Cookbook
Scandinavian Culture
Scandinavian Dance
Scandinavian Music
Scandinavian Studies Minor
Scandinavian-American food
Student involvement
Study Abroad
Swedes in Town
Swedish costumes
Swedish Folklore
Syttende Mai
Wahlstrom Nordic Workshop
Wallenberg Fund
Wisconsin Managed Forest Program

Geographical Terms:
Dunn County, Wisconsin
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Elk Creek Bottoms Preserve
Elk Creek, Wisconsin
Finland
Scandinavia
Scandinavian Countries
Sweden

Detailed List of Contents

Series 1: Administrative Material

History of the institute, constitution and bylaws, director’s manuals, dedications, blueprints, maps, photographs, negatives, a 30-minute digitized videocassette documentary of the organization’s history, and certifications that show the administrative history of the Midwest Institute of Scandinavian Culture (MWISC).

Dates: 1968-2022, bulk 1971-2005

Extent: 1.4 linear feet (1 archives box, 1 oversized folder); Digital Materials: 721 MB (1 videocassette)

Container

Contents

Dates

1/1

Certificate of Charitable Organization

1995

1/2

Constitution and Bylaws

1968

1/3

Bylaws

1993

1/4

Director’s Manual

1994

1/5

Director’s Manual

1999

1/6

Bylaws

2013

1/7

Investment Policy

undated

1/8

Program Statements

1974-1985

1/9

Program Statement

1993

1/10

Photo of Land

Undated

1/11

MWISC Maps

Undated

1/12

Legal Description of Property

1971-2012

1/13

Tree Planting

1971

1/14

Norden Hus: Inspiration for Nordic Center

1973

1/15

Annual Reports

1973, 1980

1/16

Dunn County Property Photos and negatives

1974

Oversized Folder

Streambank Improvement Project Map

1972

1/17

Streambank Improvement Project

1974-1983

1/18

Amphitheater- steep bank

1977-1980

1/19

Green Thumb Project

1977-1980

1/20

Photos of Steambank Improvement award given by West Central Area of Soil and Water Conservation District

1979

1/21

Grant Proposal

1980s

1/22

Timber Sale

1981

1/23

Road Construction

1980-83

Oversized Folder

Zoning Map

1982-89

1/24

Dedication

1984

Oversized Folder

Blueprints and Correspondence

1991

1/25

Uses of the center

1992

Oversized folder

Blueprints

1992-1998

1/26

Energy plan

1994

1/27

Photos

2000-2007

1/28

Future of land

2001

1/29

Rip Rap

2002

1/30

Architect Materials

2004-2005

Oversized folder

Blueprints

2005

1/31

Sign

2007, 2010-2012

Oversized Folder

Rip Rap Map

2015

1/32

Land Purchase Landmark

2022

1/33

Landmark Conservancy Dedication

2022

1/34

Program Slide presentation notes on MWISC

undated

1/35

History of WISC (Wisconsin Institute of Scandinavian Culture) and MWISC

1981-1994

1/36

Legal Change of Name

1979

Scrapbook

WISC Scrapbook

1960-1990

Scrapbook

MWISC Scrapbook

1991-1996

Folder “UHC382_MWISC”

Documentary on history of MWISC, “In the Beginning of Time A Documentary about the MWISC” (30 minutes)

721 MB

Series 2: Meeting Minutes
Detailed overviews of each meeting, alongside related correspondence.

Dates: 1968-2023, bulk 1975-2023

Extent: 0.4 linear feet (1 archives boxes)

Container

Contents

Dates

1/37

President’s Report and Meeting Minutes

1968-1999

1/38

Meeting Minutes

1975-1981

2/1

Meeting Minutes

Jan. 1981-Dec. 1983

2/2

Meeting Minutes

1984-1990

2/3

Meeting Minutes

1991

2/4

Meeting Minutes

1992

2/5

Meeting Minutes

1993-1994

2/6

Meeting Minutes

1999-2002

2/7

Meeting Minutes

2003-2006

2/8

Meeting Minutes

2009-2010

2/9

Meeting Minutes

2011-2014

2/10

Meeting Minutes

2015-2019

3/1

Meeting Minutes

2019-2023

Series 3: Correspondence

Letters and emails associated with the Midwest Institute of Scandinavian Culture.

Dates: 1962-2013, bulk 1968-2009

Extent: 0.8 linear feet (2 archives boxes)

Container

Contents

Dates

3/2

Correspondence

1961-1982

3/3

Correspondence with Niels Ingwerson

1968-1999

3/4

Correspondence with Grounders

1970-1974

3/5

Correspondence with Mr. Everett Bergstrom

1979

3/6

Correspondence with Per-Ake Borssen

1977-1979

3/7

Correspondence with Mr. Stapleman

1979-1982

3/8

Correspondence on Scandinavian Studies Minors

1988-1989

3/9

Minutes and Correspondence from Larry’s final years. Contains minutes from July 1989, 1995

1989-1999

3/10

Correspondence with Betsy Geiger

1992-1993

3/11

Correspondence with Jole Shakelford

1993-1998

3/12

Correspondence with Evadine Eichinger

1997

3/13

Correspondence with Eva T. Jarvi

1998

3/14

Correspondence with Marvin Market

1999

3/15

Correspondence in Wahlstrom Era

May 1999

3/16

Correspondence

1999-2000

3/17

Wahlstrom Death Correspondence

Feb. 2000

3/18

Correspondence with Jon W

2001-2005

3/19

Minutes and Correspondence

2000-2012

3/20

Correspondence

2001-2003

4/1

Emails

Jan.-March 2001

4/2

Emails

April-Dec. 2001

4/3

Emails

Jan.-May 2002

4/4

Emails

June-Dec. 2002

4/5

ASI Correspondence

2002-2005

4/6

Emails

Jan.-May 2003

4/7

Emails

June-Dec. 2003

4/8

Emails

Jan.-May 2004

4/9

Emails

June-Dec. 2004

4/10

Emails

2005

5/1

Emails

Jan.-Dec. 2006

5/2

Correspondence

May 2006-2007

5/3

Correspondence

2008-2009

5/4

Correspondence

Jan. 5, 2013

Series 4: Program Material

Papers, letters, emails, brochures, and meeting minutes that are associated with the various public activities of the Midwest Institute of Scandinavian Culture. Some papers are written in English and Swedish/Norwegian.

Dates: 1961-2018, bulk 1968-2016

Extent: 1.1 linear feet (2.75 archives boxes)

Container

Contents

Dates

5/5

Special Projects Notebook

1980-1985

5/6

Advertising Counselors

1977-1976

5/7

Auction

1977

5/8

Cookbook (correspondence and recipe cards)

1980-1981

5/9

Swedish Costumes

1982-1985

5/10

Finnish Independence Day

1997-1992

5/11

Leif Erikson Day

1982-1984

5/12

Midsummer Nordic Run

1978-1981

5/13

Midsummer Photos

1980

5/14

Midsummer

1988-1993

5/15

Retreat

1974

5/16

Retreat

1975

5/17

Retreat

1976-1977

5/18

Retreat

1978

5/19

Retreat

1979

5/20

Retreat

1980

5/21

Retreat

1981

5/22

Retreat

1982

5/23

Retreat

1984

5/24

Retreat

1985

5/25

Retreat

1986

5/26

Retreat

1989

5/27

Retreat

1990

5/28

Retreat

1991

5/29

Retreat

1992

5/30

Retreat

1993

5/31

Retreat

1994

5/32

Retreat

1995

5/32

Retreat

1996

5/33

Retreat

1997

5/34

Retreat

1998

5/35

Retreat

1999

6/1

Culture: What is it

1987-1988

6/2

Norden F. Speakers Bureau

2003-2017

6/3

Syttende Mai

1961-1964

6/4

Syttende Mai

1965

6/5

Syttende Mai

1970-1997

6/6

Syttende Mai

2008

6/7

Syttende Mai

2010

6/8

Syttende Mai

2017-2018

6/9

Tablewalk

1986

6/10

Tablewalk

1987

6/11

Tablewalk

1988

6/12

Tablewalk

1993

6/13

Norlandskoren

1962

614

Hordiskittel Parker

1963

6/15

Lund University Singers

1963-1964

6/16

Pal Rostad

1964-1966

6/17

Swedish Folklore Ensemble

1965

6/18

Swedish Folklore Group

1968

6/19

Sons of Norway

1972-1991

6/20

Bjorfo Baudet

1973

6/21

IGE Group

1974

6/22

Svardsjo Folkdans och Spelmanslag

1975

6/23

Norwegian Band

1975

6/24

Klovsjo Folkdraktsparad

1975

625

Norwegian Band

1976

6/26

Folkdanslaget

1976

6/27