Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-08-21
First White Settlers of Minnesota
Probably Norsemen, Tablet Indicates

over 100 years later. The country was
under control of Norway for many
! years, but now belongs to Denmark, OF
at least is controlled by the King OF
Denmark. 1t has population OF
around 100000, and the people are
mostly farmers or fishermen. Trans
portation is almost entirely by horse
back, as modern good roads are yet to be
built. Only 400 automobiles are oper-
ated there, so the owners of these cars
can be said to belong to the very elect
or "the 400; also, they must be hardy
sailors to navigate the few rough roads
OF the country in motor cars. Iceland
has many monuments of their ancient
writings in Runic, which dates back to
the third century A. D. This Runic is
also the Oldest writing in Denmark. 1t
appears to be of Germanic origin among
people known as Goths.
Were Scandinavians the first white
explorers to visit Minnesota? The rea
son for such inquiry was the finding of
tablet in Central Minnesota, engraved
with Runic writings and known as the
"Kensington Rune Stone" This came
to light in 1898, near Kensington,
when Olaf Gilman, clearing land and
grubbing out good-siZed tree, found
the stone buried under the roots. The
stone Is slab Of dark gray native Min
nesota rock Of about by Is by 81
inches and weighs over 200 pounds; a
small memorial tablet. Harper's Weekly
carried the first story of this discovery.
The ancient Runic on the front has
been translated by experts on Runes as
follows: Eight Goths and % Nor
Wegians on exploration-tourney from
Vlnland over the West. We had camp
by two skerrieS-one-day journey from
this stone. We were hunting and fish
ing. Came home and found 10 men
red with blood and dead Ave Maria. f"
Scandinavia was of Catholic faith at
that time) On the edge of the stone
was this: Have 10 of our party by sea
10 look after our ships, IA days journey
from this island-year 1882"
The sea here referred to was Hudsons
Bay, and those early voyagers passed
from there down the Nelson River to
Lake Winnipeg, then into the Red
River and finally up a tributary of
tnat stream into the lake region of CEN
tral Minnesota, near Kensington in
douglas County, within almost 100 miles
OF st. Anthony Falls. where Minneapolis
now stands. The lake has been identi-
hed as Cormorant Lake IN the south
eastern part of Becker County. Geclo-
glstS, Who have examined the spot where
the stone was found, say 1t was quite
likely that it was an island $40 years
ago and also that the higher level of
lakes and streams at that time would
nave permitted boats to sail that far
south, though now it would be impos-
slble to do so without portage.
This Kensington stone IS now owned
by group of citizens of Alexandria. the
nome city of the late Knute Nelson, for
many years United States Senator from
Minnesota. The latest plan is to have
small area set aside as State park,
where this historical stone can be To-
Gated as permanent memorial to the
early explorers from the Scandinavian
countries. According TO this tablet,
dated 1852, the Norsemen preceded the
Frenchmen in this section over three
centuries, as LaSalle, du Luth, Henne-
pin, Radisson and others arrived here
in the latter part of the seventeenth CEN
tury. Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts,
and jamestown in Virginia may be the
Oldest permanent settlements of white
folks in this country, but to the Scan
dinavians appears to belong first place
as the pioneers in early exploration.
Arrangements have been made to ex-
hibit this Kensington Rune Stone at the
coming Chicago Worlds Fair to be held
in 1888. EDWARD MEAD.