Crossings 200 presentation

Liv Marit Haakenstad gave a detailed presentation on the first organized group of immigrants to come to the United States from Norway. She covered their connection to both the Quaker and Haugean movements in Norway through to their settlement in New York and later Illinois. There, they came in contact with Joseph Smith and the LDS Church leading to several members of that original group to join with the Mormons as they headed west to settle in the Salt Lake Valley.

Haugianere, by Adolph Tidemand (1852).

Hans Nielsen Hauge

Cleng Peerson was a "Slooper" who led the first group of Norwegians to emigrate to the USA.

The ship Restauration

Handcart Pioneer sculpture by Norwegian immigrant Torleif Knaphus.

You can learn more about Liv Marit and Crossings 200 at the following links:

https://utvandrermuseet.no/2025/nordmenn-i-utah-1825-1920

https://crossings.norwegianamerican.com/

BYU is also holding a symposium this fall on Crossings 200. Find out more about the symposium at https://www.sonsofnorwayutah.org/event-details/crossings-and-crossroads-norwegian-immigrants-the-intermountain-west-and-beyond.