Sons Of Norway Disband, Make Museum Donation

From left: Steven Rice stands with Sons of Norway members Cheryl Meingast, Muriel Wallestad, Diane Overby, Don Overby and David VanDreese. Submitted.

After 48 years of celebrating Norwegian heritage in Sturgeon Bay, the Sons of Norway Hjalmar Holand Lodge 549 is disbanding. 

Lodge 549 was founded in 1975 with an initial enrollment of over 200 members. It quickly became a focal point for celebrations, cultural exchanges and traditional Norwegian arts and foods. Changing membership patterns in recent years led to the decision to close down.

On Sept. 27, organization members donated archival material and dedicated a commemorative bench at the Door County Historical Museum (DCHM.) DCHM manager Steven Rice accepted the handmade bench, plaque and archival documents at a small ceremony.

Beyond its collection of Norwegian artifacts, DCHM has a direct connection to the Norwegian community; local historian and DCHS founder Hjalmar R. Holand, the namesake of Lodge 549, was an energetic supporter of the museum when it opened in 1939. 

“Holand used his stature in the community to advocate for a county museum,” Rice said. “We wouldn’t exist without him.”