Lögberg-Heimskringla - 24.08.2001, Side 8

8 » Lögberg-Heimskringla * Friday 24 August 2001
d Travel
Mountain, North Dakota
Some historical and travel notes
Arlan Steinolfson
Fargo, ND
Continued from last issue
Just over a mile west of the north
end of Mountain, you will find a
mosttelling reminder of the reli-
gious dissension which at times
fractured the early community. Here
in an untended mound is another
cemetery. Though in deplorable
condition, this will hopefully soon
be rectified. On land originally
homesteaded by Jón Björnsson
Víum, and in an obvious mound that
fortunately has been disturbed by lit-
tle other than nature, lie the remains
of some of the earliest settlers in the
area. Thingvalla Township was also
home to Björn Pétursson, the first
ordained Icelandic Unitarian minis-
ter in North America, and some
believe this is the cemetery from
that ministry. Little is known about
this early group’s activities, but the
cemetery which has likely not been
tended for about 70 years, is “dead”
proof that they were indeed here.
(The restoration of this cemetery has
begun! Article forthcoming.)
In the north end of Mountain is
the American Legion Hall.
Originally built under the auspices
of the Ancient Order of United
Workmen, many of whose lodges in
North Dakota and elsewhere were
instigated by another Icelandic
immigrant, Isleifur Vernharðsson
Leifur, just over 100 years ago, this
became the site for all events that
did not take place in either the
church or school, and many events
that were associated with both.
When the AOUW (now Pioneer
Mutual Life Insurance) divested
itself of the fraternal nature of the
lodges the building and grounds
were taken over by the American
Legion, as was sponsorship of the
annual 2nd of August Celebration.
In addition, the Legion always per-
form the ceremonies during
Memorial Day observances.
Just over 3 miles south of
Mountain, Thingvalla Church and
Cemetery, can be found. Built at the
site where highway 32 crosses a
small branch of the Park River, and
very likely not coincidentally, where
a main branch of the early ox-cart
trail crossed the same creek, it was
another community center called
Eyford with a post office and store
across the road from the church.
North of the church is the recently
reconstructed memorial to the
humorist and poet (kímniskáld)
Caim at Cemetary in Mountain, ND
Photo courtesy of Lillian Vilborg
Kristján Níels Jónsson Júlíus, com-
monly known as KN Júlíus, which
Icelanders are rarely permitted to
pass without joining him in a short
snort for the ages.
Though the views are likely not
man was married, of course, to an
Icelander).
To be continued...
Address corrections or additions
to the above to arIans@aol.com or
Arlan Steinolfson, 744 48th Street
Cemetary in Mountain, ND.
Photo courtesy of Lillian Viiborg
very impressive to native Icelanders,
one should never visit Mountain
without driving 3 miles west to
Schroeder Hill, named after one of
the few non-Icelandic homesteaders
in the area. Looking east from the
top of the hill provides a grand
panorama of the valley. Even on a
bad day you can see the buildings in
Canton (or Hensel), 12 miles away
and the eastern limit of this portion
of the Icelandic settlement. It is said
that on good days, you can see
Minnesota, on the other side of the
Southwest, Fargo, ND 58103.
Additional articles related to the
Dakota Icelanders can be found
athttp://hometown.aol.com/arlans/m
yhomepage/dakotal .html
Slæmar fréttir
berast fljótt.
Red River, over 35 miles away.
This view was commemorated
during North Dakota’s lOOth
Anniversary in 1989 with the
poster “Life in the Vast Lane” pro-
duced by Wayne Gudmundson, a
descendent of Icelandic settlers in
Thingvalla.
While driving south from
Mountain, and paying close atten-
tion to the land to east, one can see
where once travelled the Mountain
Flyer. Most remnants of this early
railroad have long since disap-
peared but the route ran from
Edinburg through Mountain to the
cement mines at Concrete, 5 miles
to the northwest (where the fore-
to the Nordic
of Canada to
Enjoy a Favourábly
Priced Friday Smorg!
either lunch or evening!
t* The Cultural home of f-
wínnmeci Frón
Tel: (204) 774-8047
<m ih unw fiin* xm rnv 'n^'hki^i mri n twmr .Niir'rkihrN a nm h nn 'n&'WHMh