Iowa: Norwegian American Settlement

In 1839 a group of Norwegian settlers were lead to Sugar Creek, Lee County, Iowa Territory by Hans Barlien and William Tesman. Hans Barlien and William Tesman had left Norway due to dissatisfaction with the political conditions in Norway. The group of settlers had arrived from Fox River and Shelby County where unfavorable circumstances had forced them to leave. Sugar Creek never became very large, however, due to the fact that land in northern Iowa was better suited for agriculture, and many Norwegians decided to go there.

In 1846 a Norwegian named Ole Valle entered northeastern Iowa and with him a steady stream of new settlers. Ole settled in Read Township, Clayton County.

In addition to the north eastern areas a couple of Counties in central Iowa also became heavily Norwegian. Decorah was situated in the middle of a Norwegian settlement, and continued to be a strong Norwegian area with Luther College and the newspaper "Decorah Posten".