The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-06
GOOD PEOPLECOM
TO GOOD CLIMATE
Norwegians Who Fled From Rig,
ors of Northwest to Do Well
and Get Happy in Virginia.
Unique colony-Improved
Land Values-Bergh's
Great Work.
by FRANK s. wOODsoy,
Industrial Edffor

nounced as II 1t were spelled "Nawgy."
However. the Chesapeake and Ohio
brakemen and other virginians call
II as II they were required to make 1t
rhyme with George" or Gorge"
Perhaps most of the readers OF The
Times-Dispatch arc as ignorant OF the
location and geography OF Norge as
was until 1 found out about 1t. It IL
village, inhabited entirely by Nor
wesians. on the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway. in James City county, lust
forty miles from Richmond and seven
and half miles from the ancient
capital. williamsburg. In and around
the village has grown up within the
past thirteen years very Furnishing
colony of thrifty Norwegian and swed-
lsh farmers. who have come to vir-
ginia from the cold and frigid North
west, the most OF them coming from
Minnesota. the Dakotas and WISCONSIN,.
The story of the settlement In James
city county of these vigorous aEricul-
turists and intensive laud-workers IL
quito interesting.
In the year 1896 Carl NJ. Bergh, a
Norwegian, who had come from the
old country several years before and
settled in the State of Kansas became
disguised with the harsh climate and
many other disadvantages of that re-
sion and came to Virginia on tour
OF inspection, having read in the Rich
mond papers about the salubrious cli-'
mate of the Old Dominion.
The c. & o. Ia Alert.
The land and immigration depart
ment of the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail
road. which is always on the alert.
got hold of him, and Mr.. Bergh was
| shown the beauties of Virginia In gem
| eral. and of the Underwater section in
! particular.
The Underwater country struck him
/ very forclbly. and he located at Toano.
1 right in the heart of the trucking and
potato growing country. Two years
later Mr.. Bergh bought from Norveil
J.. Henley, of Williamsburg, a part OF
the old Henley farm. two miles east
! of Toano, and about seven miles west
or north of Williamsburg. paying for 1t
| less than sis per acre, which at the
| time was considered a cracker-jaclk
good price
Mr. Bergh had large acquaintance
among the Norwegians and Swedes OF
the Northwest, and he we'll knew the
disadvantages they We're laboring uu-
der in that harsh climate and that
country of high-priced lands. and he
commenced to write them about Nir-
ginia's salubrious climate and the many
advantages. social, educational and
otherwise of the new-found old coun-
try. and especially about the cheap
lands. He induced several good men
to come and do as he had done-invest
in Virginia.
The Cultivation.
Ile then conceived the idea OF locat-
ing a. big Norwegian colony in good
old James City county. near where
John Smith started this country on
its great destiny three hundred and
more years ago. The Chesapeake ana
Ohio Railway people offered him every
encouragement. in fact got right be-
hind him and by judicious Advertising
and making several trips to the North
west. Mr.. Bergh soon had numbers OF
Norwegtans turning their noses to-
wards old Virginia. and every man OF
them was land buyer. In all Of this
Norwegian settlement in James City
county there Is not single renter.
They all bought farms, and they have
worked them to the best advantage,
making money as the days have gone
by.
Around Mr. Bcrgh's homo, the old
Henley place, grew the village OF
Norge, and nice little village 1t Is,
Inhabited by thrifty farmers who
raise potatoes. melons and other truck.
and corn, a few peanuts and much hay
dhu Grass, iallu keep GlHelrt CONS ana
other stock, and in, a general way
arc making this part of old Virginia
blossom as a rose. The Norwegians
are hard workers, and they know how
to make land better and better and
more productive every year. Within
tho village, and within a circle OF a
mile around. there are about fifty
, Norwegian land owners, who have
bought their little farms averaging
about 100 acres each. Within a circle
of SIX or eight miles around there
must be Us many as thousand of
these people, including men, women
and children, and the way they are
improving their lands and making
many blades Of good grass grow where
only one grew before. and making
many bushels of corn and potatoes and
other marketable things come where
only pecks came before, is worth tho
attention Of the most scientific far
mcrs IN the land
Means aud Methods.
have to-day been making some
OF these folks--how they mako their
lands more productive and how they
get so much out Of few acres. Tho
whole thing can be summed up In tile
general statement that they are inten-
sive farmers. They use two-horse
plows, and they plow deep going down
not less than six inches. Instead oe
screaming only Two or three inches, as
Was the oid-tima Virginia system.
They clean mp all Of the old fields ana
briar patches and hedges and make
them grow something to sell, instead
Of leaving them to grow briars and
hedges that drain the ground OF It's
fertility,
IN tho afternoon Wednasa
Then. they feed their land Mains
first-nlass fertilizers They
make clover and pea vines aud grasses.
aud turn them uudar TO feed and keep
alive the soil, andNtheS keen eyeriast, &
tConttnued On xtPsrsk Page.a