North Dakota: A Guide to the Northern Prairie StateFederal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of North Dakota
History
North Dakota: A Guide to the Northern Prairie State
Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of North Dakota
North Dakota; North Dakota -- Guidebooks
Left on this highway is MOUNTAIN, =5 m.= (1,030 alt., 250 pop.), so
named because of its elevation. It is one of the larger Icelandic
towns. A log church here, built in 1886, is said to be the oldest
Icelandic church on the North American continent. When the Icelanders
first came to America in 1874, they settled at Gimli, Man., Canada.
Later, possibly because the rough topography of the country reminded
them of the fjords and cliffs of their native land, they colonized
here near the headwaters of the Little Tongue River. At present their
settlement includes the towns of Hallson, Mountain, Akra, Svold,
Hensel, and Gardar. From the first they have engaged in diversified
farming and therefore have usually known a fair degree of prosperity.
An artistic and deeply imaginative people, perhaps due to the Celtic
infusion received when their Norwegian ancestors fled to Ireland upon
the ascendency of Harald the Fair-Haired, they still retain many of
their old Icelandic traditions and arts, and their folklore is replete
with weird and highly colored sagas. They take great pleasure in
preserving their native culture, and often present plays and pageants
showing the dress and customs of Iceland.
Icelanders are particularly adept in gold and silver filigree work
and in hand-carving. Almost every home has its treasures brought from
far-off Iceland--beautifully hand-carved riding whips adorned with
silver and gold ferrules, toys and spoons made from cow-horn, and bread
boards carved with leaves and grapes.
The little community has produced many distinguished men, among whom
are Sveinbjorn Johnson (1883-), professor at law in the University of
Illinois and former State supreme court justice (1922-28); Stephen G.
Stephenson, poet honored by the Icelandic Government; Emil Walters
(1893-), whose paintings have been shown at Eastern art centers; and
Vilhjalmur Stefansson (1879-), scientist and explorer.
Recently large deposits of fuller's earth have been discovered near
Mountain. It is estimated that approximately 5,000,000 tons lie in
one 200-acre plot. This clay is used for reclaiming motor oil and for
purifying animal and vegetable oils. The deposit in this area lies
along the valleys of streams from the Canadian boundary to about 10 m.
S. of Mountain and W. for an unknown distance.
At =20 m.= is the junction (R) with ND 32 (_see Side Tour 5A_). At this
junction is OAK LAWN HISTORIC SITE, a small park owned by the State
historical society, in which is a weathered old LOG CHURCH, built in
1885 and for many years a landmark in the area.
At =23 m.= is the junction with a county road.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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