Nordic Fest Bus Tours: Preservation Point for Decorah History

Nordic Fest organizers recognized the event as an opportunity to promote return trips to Decorah. Bus tours of Decorah were an important part of that promotion, and Hawkeye Stages of Decorah has been a major sponsor of these tours during Nordic Fest since the beginning. Photo courtesy www.hawkeyestages.com

1977 marked the 11th year of bus tours of scenic and historic Decorah at Nordic Fest. Along with his fellow volunteer guides Jack Anundsen, Gene Johnson, Dean Thurmer, Ken Bjerke and Gene Wicks, Hubert Leseth loved sharing his passion for Decorah as a volunteer tour guide. The following notes from his 1977 bus tour script, provided by his family, preserve interesting aspects of Decorah's history: 

• The current Decorah City Hall stands on land formed by filling in an old bend of the Upper Iowa River
• The Old Stone Mill currently part of Vesterheim began operating as a grist mill in 1851, when power was obtained by running water through a mill race from a dam upstream through a a wheel under the mill. The mill operated until 1966.
• The first power generating station was build in Decorah just four months after Edison began operating his first plant in New York City. The first plant provided power for 20 lights in Decorah and and was located near the present Winneshiek County Courthouse.
• Luther College was moved to Decorah from La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1862. The under-construction Faith and Life Center will be a 3.8 million dollar building that serves as a chapel and auditorium for the performing arts. 
• Tuition at Luther College was free until 1921, when the charge became $60 per year. 
• First Lutheran Church was built in 1876 of brick made on the Luther College campus. 

Thank you Hubert Leseth, and all the Chamber and tourism volunteers who have been building awareness of Decorah through tours for 50 years!  

The limited edition Nordic Fest 50th anniversary book is now available for pre-sale at 23% off its rate during Nordic Fest. Online pre-sales are available through Monday, July 4, 2016.  It includes 22 chapters, great photos, a spot to record your favorite Nordic Fest memories and a DVD with movie footage from the first event in 1967. Reserve your piece of Nordic Fest history today: http://www.nordicfest.com/site/nordic-fest-50-book.html