The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-28
Special to The Journal.

Madison, Wis, Jan. 2S.-Of all Nor
wegian settlements in America, memora,,
BILE for their romantic early history and
traditions, the most interesting, most
famous and most beloved is found IN
eastern Dane county, dozen miles
from Madison, and bears the bea4tif ful
for years the Mecca Of thousands Of pill
grims from Norway, and became a sort
of mother colony to the younger Norwe-
gian settlements of the west.
From Koshkonong have gone forth
nearly all Of the Observation-Disclosures
whose achievements have made them
Minnesota spenth is boyhood there.
Professor Rasmus B. Anderson, the we'll
known Morse scholar and author, and
Charles N. Herreid, who has just retired
as governor of South Dakota, were born
on Koshkonong prairie: The old set,
t7?men was also the tSrtng PS Sa cb Of
cage Record II erald, whose real name is
Larson, and of former Governor Andrew
E. Lee Of South Dakota. Professor Jul
Illus E. Olson of the University Of Wis
consin, Norwegian of distinction, grew
to manhood in the same place, and many
others OF less note might pc }re
Lake Koshkonong, which lies just be-
yond the southern boundary, and from
beautiful Koshkonong creek, which
winds southwark along the eastern limit.
The plowshare turns to the sun a dark
rich loan on Koshkonong prairie, and
the landscape is one OF the lovehest in
Wisconsin. -.
Genesis Of the Settlement.
among the Norwegians Of the great
northwest, and the genesis Of, the be-
/ loved settlement is Of extraordinary in
terest to them. The best authority on
the early history Of Koshkonong is Nels
Of Deerfeld, Wis. who was inspired by
Senator Knute Nelson, his old friend
and neighbor, to make a careful investi-
cation of the subject; and from him the
winter has learned the following.
In the fall of 1882 Nels Larson Boil
Bottolfson Bystol, immigrants from
4 Voss, Norway, who were living tempo.
4 rarily in La Sale county, Illinois, re.
4 solved to 90 to Wisconsin in search OF
homesteads. They wished to live on tim
Der land, near lakes and streams. In Hi
nois no more timber land was to be had
from the government, but in Wisconsin
according to report, there was an abund
ance. "a a
These three newcomers had not yet
mastered the English language and fell
rather uncertain as to their ability tt
make their way thru strange wild re
gion inhabited by savage Indians ant
people who could not understand Nor
, wegian. So they dubbed together ant
: hired Odd J. Himle to accompany then
. as guide and interpreter, he being !:
stol was obliged. for some reason, t,
strong. fearless Norwegian, who hat
learned to speak English. Magne BY
stay behind, and only three set out.
Tramped Thru Wilderness.
Himle, Bolstad and Gilderhus starte,
, on foot for Milwaukee and arrive,
). there without much difficulty. Their
!. they procured maps and much informa
l ton as to the interior, Of Wisconsin
0 which was then wild territory, wit
r but few white inhabitants. The,
!, bent their steps westward toward Kosh
q ponong prairie in Dane county. Ate
( many days Of trudging they reached
small log hotel, called Smell s tavern,
i situated two miles east of the presen
& site of Cambridge. Mr.. Smell, tn
proprietor Of this frontier hostelry, wa
a hardy pioneer, a sort Of DAME
Boone, who encouraged the three Mo-
!. lwegians to push on to Koshkonong an
! lselect land there. He advised thel