New Britain herald., 1927-10-04
SUMMER RESORT IN
 YUKON LATITUDE
Lillehammer, Norway, Has This ~ Unique Distinction

Washington, D. c. Oct 4.-Liiie- hammer, Norway. whose centenary jubilee was celebrated recently with appropriate ceremony. is a populIT summer resort on the same parallel Of latitude as the mouth Of the Yukon River in Alaska.
 Lillahammer lies at the northern end of MiOscn Lake, NorWay's larg- .st body of fresh water, and is q gateway 10 the Gudhrandsdal. In this valley many ancient customs and costumes of the country are still in vogue. The town itself lies on the north and south rail route from Oslo to Trondhiem. and is wis ited annually by thousands of tour ists from Europe and Americ1 drawn thither by beauty Of scenery and ruaintness Of architecture.
 Climate Mild for Northern Latitude
 This region occupies inc central part of southern Norway and is typical Of inland valleys rather than the ford country bordering the Al ldnIlC CpaSlI UT 'iLF 4dlt.4 th tllD midnight sun" which lies farther 10 the north. Tn spite of its high latitude Lillchammcr enjoys q com parative mild climate, resort hotels teing open for visitors the year round.
 Of supreme interest to both Nor wegian and foreigner is an outdoor museum of ancient arts and crafts at the nearby village of MaihauCen. Fifty hand built farnhouses. mills workshops, and barns were pur- chased. moved to one community, and enriched with collections of old Norwegian handwork. There are articles of wood, brass, leather, and iron, together with examples of weaving and embroidery typical Of the products of cottage handicrafts carried on by peasants of the neigh torhood during long winter even ings. Here are also spinning wheels, looms, and tools used before the in reduction of factory goods. During tourist season provision is made 10 have artisans actually working at loom and forge so that memory of the countrv's historic peasant arts and crafts may not entirely fade from the earth,
 Household Arts of Last Century
 The museum's quaint silver-hued cottages of rough worked timbers are scattered through 2 forest beside 2 quiet lake They form an ideal set ting for this last stronghold of q time when the Norwegian farmer carved his own wooden spoon and bowl and his wife wovo cOverlets from wool dipped and dyed by her own hands, These log huts contain carved and painted wooden chests of beauty, and rugs and brassWare that are the envy of collectors. Some of the hand workers imported to exhibit their skill are said 10 be the last of the trade in this part of Norway.
 Liletammer, itself, while Y 1: the metropolis Of Gudbrandsdal Val. ley, and claims more than five thousand inhabitants, has had only a century of corporate existence However. the nearby city of Ham21 on an arm of the same lake dates hack 10 1152, when Nicholas Break spear, an Engiishm1n, who after wards became ope Adrian ", cs- abolished a diocese there. Ruins of q cathedral go back to the same century. These were the early days Of Christianity In Norway. Dark ways of organism were abandoned by the Vikings with reluctance and only after much bloodshed. Ii is said that soafsring men for some time worshipped the Christian God on land and Thor at sea, since the latter was considered safer in that element
 Homeland of American Settlers
 Modern Norwegian peasants how ever are devout followers of the Lutheran faith. Sunday is theiI great holiday and they comef for many miles from remote valleys tc enjoy the morning service with ifs social hour in the churchyard after ward. Many summer tourists attend these gatherings to observe the dis play Of color and quaint costume from outlying districts. Gudbrands- ---..<.-.-l---.~- -'-(--'ss'------.-------