Commems Collection Classic: 1925 Norse-American Centennial - Calvin Coolidge At Celebration

The 100th anniversary of the arrival of the sloop Restaurationen in New York City with 50+ immigrants from Norway was commemorated with a celebration at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds from June 6 to June 9, 1925.

US President Calvin Coolidge attended the celebration on June 8th and addressed the crowd at 2:00pm. The speech is far too long to reproduce here, but I think Coolidge's opening remarks make for a quick, interesting read.

How often in the affairs of this world a small and apparently insignificant occurrence turns out to be an event of great importance, carrying in its train a mighty influence for good or evil. Such importance always flows from the character of those concerned. The generations of the earth treasure the rude hut that sheltered the infancy of Abraham Lincoln, seek out the birthplace of Shakespeare, and give to the uninviting soil of Palestine the title of the Holy Land, all because certain obscure happenings in those places produced those who left a broad mark upon the future course of humanity.The character of the participants brought future fame. It is such an event that we meet to commemorate today. One hundred years ago a little bark sailed from Norway to America. It was almost unnoticed at the time, save for the daring and hardihood of its navigators, but it brought with it the representatives of a stalwart race, men and women of fixed determination, enduring courage and high character, who were to draw in their retinue a long line of their fellow countrymen destined to change the face of an area broad as an empire, direct the historic course of sovereign states, and contribute to the salvation of a great nation. These mighty works have been wrought because those Norwegian immigrants were well worthy to follow in the wake of the Pilgrim and Cavalier.

Coolidge followed these remarks by touting the accomplishments of Scandinavian immigrants in America, before moving on to "the absorbingly interesting subject of the social backgrounds of our country." The various facets of this topic comprised the bulk of his address.

If you are interested in reading the full address, you can check it out here:

- Address of President Coolidge before the Norwegian Centennial celebration, at Minnesota State Fairgrounds (archived at Minnesota Digital Library)


1925 Norse-American Centennial Medal - Thick Variety, Silver



For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, as well as more about the Norse-American Centennial medals, see: Commems Collection.