Who We Are
Sons of Norway (International)
The Sons of Norway was founded as the Independent Order of the Sons of Norway. The organization was founded by 18 members on January 16, 1895 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to insure each other when they were unable to secure life insurance on their own. Membership was originally open to males of Norwegian descent who were ‘capable of giving proof of being morally upright, in good health, and capable of supporting a family’.
A second lodge was established in South Minneapolis in 1899 and a third was founded in the northeastern section of the city in 1900. The Minneapolis model quickly spread and by the end gf 1900 some 12 lodges had been established in cities and towns with substantial Norwegian-American populations.
Today, the Sons of Norway has nearly 400 lodges in the United States, Canada and Norway. With over 57,000 members, the Sons of Norway is the largest Norwegian organization outside of Norway, preserving the culture of Norway and other nordic countries.
Sons of Norway, Nortun Lodge 1‑016 (Duluth, MN)
The Sons of Norway in Duluth goes back to 1902, when a charter was signed and Duluth joined the international organization founded seven years before. For 120 years, we have been celebrating Norwegian heritage and culture.
In 1944, after renting space in various buildings in Duluth, Nortun Lodge purchased Norway Hall, its building on Lake Avenue between Superior and First Streets. The Hall served as the home of the Sons of Norway in Duluth for 74 years. In 2010, Norway Hall hosted the king and queen of Norway during their visit to Duluth.
In 2018, after much deliberation, the decision was made to sell Norway Hall, as the building was not accessible to persons with disabilities and could not be retrofitted. We now meet monthly at the Family of God Lutheran Church at 4097 Martin Road in Duluth.
What We Do
We meet once a month – usually on the second Sunday – from 1-3pm at the Family of God Lutheran Church located at 4079 Martin Road in Duluth for food, fellowship and presentations of aspects of Norwegian culture and heritage past and present. We bring in speakers and entertainment from around the region and sponsor trips to places and events of interest to our members.
As an organization, the Sons of Norway in Duluth also:
- Sponsors scholarships;
- Participates in a wide range of community events;
- Co-sponsors the Pepperkakebyen with the Nordic Center;
- Celebrates Norwegian heritage year round.