Stabbur
Gift to America
Out of a chance meeting, Vinstra, Norway’s Halvard Pettersen and Milan, Minnesota’s Don Peterson formed a bond of friendship that continues to impact relationships between current and future generations of Norwegians and Americans.
Halvard Pettersen remembers witnessing and feeling the overwhelming gratitude expressed by families that came to their home during and following World War II to share in the parcels of food and clothing that had been sent from the United States. Neighbors danced and shed tears of joy as they found within those packages items of food and clothing to use for special occasions. Treasured gifts that were so scarce in wartime.
Over the years, Halvard thought about a way to thank the American people for the gifts shared with Norway and decided to build a Norwegian Stabbur and, because of his friendship with Don, to locate it on the Peterson farm of rural Milan, Minnesota.
In his home town of Vinstra, Norway, Halvard designed and built the Stabbur of Norway Pine. He disassembled it and shipped it to the United States where he arrived later with his son, Jon Olav to reassemble it and do the final planning of the wood and insulation in October of 1987. Assisting in the Stabbur’s assembly were many neighbors and Minnesota carpenter, Warren Redfield.
Billy Thompson of Milan, was on site daily to film the construction. Billy’s films document not only the beautiful building’s progress but also the wonderful friendships that formed with those who gathered to help locate a bit of Norway on the Minnesota prairie. The completed Stabbur includes a bell tower, sod roof, and ornately carved designs and names of communities surrounding Halvard’s area of Norway.
In Norway, a Stabbur serves as an outdoor pantry to store food stuffs, clothing and for extra sleeping quarters.
Ten years and over 5000 visitors later, the Minnesota Stabbur began to lean to one side. Halvard told Don he would send some poles to stabilize the structure. In place of poles, two beautifully carved figures of “Ola” and “Kari” arrived to support the corners of the Stabbur and also have the functionality of turn-screws to allow for further adjustment.
Don Peterson made many more enjoyable trips to Norway before his death in November of 2007. Don’s wife, Alta Mae, has recently moved to Montevideo. Don & Alta Mae’s grandson, Jason Lee, now lives on the Peterson farm.
Halvard Pettersen and his wife, Ruth, continue to make visits to the United States and, when here in May 2008, particularly enjoyed the Memorial Day program at the Milan gymnasium, a trip through Heritage Hill, and a tour of the Chippewa City Pioneer Village in Montevideo.