Norwegian organizations to build Crossings 200 float for 2025 Days of '47 Parade

Rendering of the Crossings 200 float to be entered into the Days of '47 Parade in Salt Lake City. Note that the background behind the signage will be decorated with hand-painted rosemaling.

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the first organized group of Norwegian immigrants to the United States, Sons of Norway Leif Erikson Lodge 6-83, the Syttende Mai Committee, and other interested groups have decided to enter a float in the 2025 Days of '47 Parade in downtown Salt Lake City. Viewed by more than 200,000 parade-goers, the Days of '47 Parade celebrates the entrance of the first pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847.

Re-creation of the sloop Restauration

In 1825, the sloop Restauration left Stavanger, Norway with 52 passengers, arriving in New York some three months later after a difficult journey--and with an additional passenger, born on the journey. Some of these immigrants later met the Prophet Joseph Smith in Illinois and joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Several of those who joined the Church made the trek with the Saints to Salt Lake City, including Endre Salvesen Lindland Dahl.

Norwegian stabbur in the Norway Garden of the International Peace Gardens in Salt Lake City, Utah.

To honor this important anniversary, the Sons of Norway Leif Erikson Lodge 6-83 (Salt Lake City), the Seventeenth of May Committee, and other Norwegian groups in Utah have worked with Modern Display to design a float for the parade. This float contains elements of Norwegian culture from 1825, including examples of Norwegian architecture, clothing, and art, as well as a representation of the ship Restauration. More specifically, the float's design incorporates a Norwegian stabbur (storehouse) and hand-painted Norwegian rosemaling (rose painting). The float will include Sons of Norway members dressed in traditional Norwegian bunader, or folk costumes, that are still worn today. Additional elements will include Norwegian pine, birch, and ash trees.

We believe the story of this first group of immigrants from Norway--and their descendants--perfectly embodies the theme of this year's parade: Pioneer Spirit, Pioneer Strong. They endured persecution in their home country as well as hardships on the journey to come to a land where their desire for religious freedom could flourish.

Building and entering a float in the Day of '47 Parade will take money as well as the help of volunteers to paint the rosemaling on the float. Please consider donating or volunteering your time to help make this dream a reality.

Click here to donate or volunteer

---

Learn more about Crossings 200 at the following links:

• Crossings 200 website

• BYU Symposium on Crossings 200