Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad, 1907. Potter County It was here that Ole Bull founded a Norwegian settlement in the beginning of the 50s. His colonisation attempt was almost as impossible as, for example, Kristoffer Kloster's attempt to establish a fishing colony down on the Gaspe's windswept cliffs. But Ole Bull could not bring himself to believe that. Down here between the Pennsylvania hills the great performer put his money (and later much of his strength and spirit). Here he bought a great deal of land on instalments, here he laid out towns and built bridges and roads and to it he brought his countrymen. Here Ole Bull's memory would be honoured forever. The future capital was called Oleana, where they built "Bull's Castle" with music and song, and where a hotel was raised so travelling Scandinavians could get food, rest and a roof over their heads. They believed that this would become the West's paradise. And they sang: "I Oleana er det godt at være. I Norge vil jeg ikke slavelænken bære. Ja, reis til Oleana, saa skal du leve; En fattig stymper derbort' er Greve." That people streamed in is shown by the fact that during the colony's golden period there were close to 1000 persons. But the whole thing was a dream. Ole Bull was a great dreamer, a great spirit and a great genius. On the violin he was a world master. And this sort of person is the easiest to dupe. This the land speculators who sold the aforementioned land to him clearly knew, since the documents they issued him were not worth 5 cents. Neither he nor any other Scandinavian received the right to the land that he had bought. When he then learned that nothing could be done either legally or any other way, he left the colony quietly. They saw him ride away along the river bank on his Norwegian horse. But what he thought, he showed later: There was only one way in which he could rescue himself and his poor countrymen out of the pinch - and only one way he could restore his name - he had to go back and play on the stage. He was as fortunate as before. The laurels he could keep, but for the money he earned he bought wagon load after wagon load of provisions that he sent to the colonists in Oleana. And over time as he was able, he helped many of them move away from there. Ole Olsen, one of Bull's faithful admirers and defenders - the only one that stayed in Ny Bergen - died there recently (1903) at the age of 87 years. He was the last to yield! But the Norwegian names - Oleana, Odin and Ny Bergen - names that Bull gave the future cities - they still live. The settlers, with few exceptions, then moved away - to other places with greater possibilities. The colony's first child, Ole Snyder as well as some of the older people we have found in Buffalo, N.Y. The colony's first baby girl, the daughter of the later well-known bookbinder Suckow (in Madison, Wis.) ended up finally in the City of Cedar Rapids, Ia. where her husband became the Mayor. Halfdan Eckholdt, who was one of those who with his parents emigrated to Bull's paradise, is now a lawyer in Rochester, Minn. P. J. Moe, who also came to that place with his parents, moved to Springfield, Minn. etc. In brief, most of them went west and settled among their countrymen in the Northwest. --------------- However, the State of Pennsylvania is not completely free of Norwegian settlements. One was established at Rowland, Pike Co. in 1901. The first to settle there was S. Christiansen from Grimstad. There are ca. 15 Norwegian families. Logging and mixed farming is their main source of income. --------------- In the City of Philadelphia* there are naturally some Norwegians even though they have essentially become Americans, which is the case in other big cities as well. Where they are so scattered that it is difficult to find one another and where one cannot start Norwegian congregations or societies, they soon forget that they are Norwegians. In Philadelphia, however, there are a couple of small congregations that one can call Norwegian. The first of these was established in 1890 and belongs to The United Church, the other to The Seaman's Mission. There are no churches. --------------- Of other places where Norwegians can be found - but in small numbers - can be mentioned Erie, Correy, Allegheny, Pittsburg, Carlisle, Harrisburg and Huntingdon. See the accompanying map. --------------- There are some Norwegian place names in Pennsylvania, the aforementioned Oleana, New Bergen, Odin as well as Nansen, Elk Co., Norway, Chester Co. and Varden, Wayne Co. *I have been sent an account of a "Walking trip from Philadelphia, Pa. to Willmar, Minn." but because of its length the account is too long for the book. However it goes so: Peder and Christian Amundsen from Mo i Ranen had a ticket no further than to Philadelphia, where they worked for a farmer for $4.00 a month and since this princely pay was not sufficient, they took to heir feet. Peder now lives in Lynn, S.D. (They suffered as well a shipwreck on the Atlantic when the ship they came on collided with another).