THE FIRST FIFTY YEARS

1910 to 1960

    by Charter Member, Lars Larson

written for the Lodge's 50th Anniversary

    Charter Members listed below.

    It was in the year 1910 that efforts were first made to organize a branch of Sons of Norway lodge in Eureka.  After several meetings held in different homes, a few men met with Bro. Hans T. Trollnes acting as a foreman.  Their object was to acquaint themselves with aims and purpose of the organization.  These men contacted other prospective members and informed them of their efforts to organize a lodge in this area.  They succeeded in getting other eligible members interested.

 

   At that time, Henrik Ibsen Lodge No. 7 of San Francisco was the nearest branch of the order.  it was from this lodge we received the necessary information and assistance.

 

   On March 26, 1910, Fram Lodge No. 13 Sons of Norway was instituted in Eureka.  At the first meeting twelve members were present.  Brother O. K. Holt of Henrik Ibsen Lodge instructed these members on all necessary procedures.  Brother Hans T. Trollnes was our first president.  Before the charter was closed there were 37 members in the lodge.

 

   In 1913 Roald Amundsen, the discoverer of the North Pole,* was here on a visit telling all about his trip.  It was held at the Occidental Pavillion where a very large crowd came to hear of the trip.  It was very interesting and many people still remember the lecture.

 

   One of our first major projects was the acquisition of a plot at the cemetery, so that any deceased member of the lodge who so desired could be buried there.  A few years later Brother Hans T. Trollnes, who was on a visit to Norway, bought a black granite monument which stands on the plot today at the Ocean View Cemetery.

 

   The first meetings were held in the Brett Hall.  Later they moved to the K. P. Hall.  On August 19, 1927, they purchased the building where the meetings and social gatherings are still held.  It was the Normana Hall and we changed the name to Norway Building.

 

   After the men organized their lodge the ladies decided to have a lodge of their own also.  The Daughters of Norway Lodge sent Mrs. Martha Helgestad from Tacoma, Washington, here to help organize.  Mrs. Haakon Hansen was their first president.  They received their charter and Solveig Lodge No. 8 came into being.  After the Sons of Norway bought the lodge hall the Daughters of Norway voted to merge with the Sons of Norway, in the late fall of 1927.  Although that was 50 years ago, we are happy to have five charter members still with us.  We can look back on fifty years of mutual benefit and good fellowship.  We look ahead to many more years of the same.   

LARS LARSEN.   

March 1960        

 

CHARTER MEMBERS

Hans T. Trollnes Olaf Aune Olaf Christensen Hilmar Christensen Johs Nielsen Nils Magaar Haakon Hansen Daniel Horntveit A. C. Larsen Louis Halvarsen Nicolas Johnson Thodor Andersen Osvald Andersen Ole Moe Richard Isaacksen Lars Larsen Andrew Birkland Albert Andersen	Alf Johansen J. S. Holland Ole Jostad Tom Olson, Jr. Tom Olson, Sr. Emil Olson Robert Rasmussen Knut Tellefsen N. C. Quist Ole M. Johnsen Samuel Hansen Carl Christieansen Thoralf Hansen Ole B. Olsen Gullick Hansen Halfdan N. Kirkemo John L. Fosberg Olaf Olsen Ness
Reed Rasmussen
Kristine Hansen Maren Hansen Kristine Ericksen Sina Johnsen Maren Andersen Agnes Hansen Anna Fosberg Anna Johnsen Dagmar Klemensten (Hansen) Tordis Aune	Elizabeth Johnsen Amalie Matsen Netta Simonsen Rakel Espeland Thora Larsen Belle Birkeland Ragna Kirkemo Karen Rasmussen Belle Banry Martha Brown

 

* Webmaster Note: Actually Roald Amundsen was the "discoverer" of the South Pole in 1911 (see our "Fram" page). The "discoverer" of the north pole was either Frederick A. Cook in 1908 or Robert E. Peary in 1909, depending on which account you believe (see "The Cook-Peary North Pole Dispute" web site.