The Early Years.

In the early 1880's there was an exodus of immigrants from Europe to the New World, lured by the prospects of more space, cheaper more productive land and the chance to a better way of life. Many of these early comers located first in the United States or Eastern Canada. Meanwhile, the great North-West of Canada was being surveyed and opened up for homesteads and word of the wonderful opportunities to be found there were widely advertised and reached the ears of many in Minnesota, as well as elsewhere.

The Mr. and Mrs. Ole M. Olstad family and four grown sons were one of these families that decided to pull up roots in Minnesota and head for the Northwest Territories. They made their way to the Duhamel settlement near the Battle River. Duhamel had been settled for some time but the Olstad family chose to settle several miles south of the Battle River and filed homesteads for themselves and for friends and relatives from the United States.

The Naming of New Norway

Most of the eligible adults availed themselves of homesteads as well as buying C.P.R. land which was available for $3.00 per acre and so the large family soon owned a considerable acreage in the surrounding country, and for a time the district was known as the "Olstad District". As other Norweigen families moved in as well families from other nationalities the name "New Norway was given to the little settlement which started about 1895 one mile east of the present townsite.

The school was built first and served a large area. Then Even Olstad's which later included a Post Office was built in 1903.

With the coming of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway through in 1910 it was more convenient to have the businesses nearer to the railroad so in the fall of 1909, the buildings were moved across country to the present site.

In 1909 Francois Adams's Real Estate office in Camrose advertised that the townsite of New Norway (the first to be surveyed on the Calgary-Tofield G.T.P. line) would be put on sale Oct 14th, 1909 at 10 a.m. By the end of the first month 14 businesses had filed intent to establish in New Norway and construction began immediately.

The first village council was elected on May 19, 1910 with Norman M. Smith, James F. Willows and Evan O. Olstad serving.

The village of New Norway saw the establishment of several businesses including a general mercantile, butcher shop, bank, real estate and insurance, Chinese laundry to name only a few. Throughout the years, the businesses have come and gone with the fluctuations in population, two world wars, and changing economic times.

Highlights of New Norway History:

1926--The Alberta Wheat Pool Elevator was built

1929--New Norway enters the age of electricity with the installation of Calgary Power

1939--The Community Hall was built

1947--a two sheet curling ring was built by town and district curling enthusiasts. This building burned down January 26th 1951 and a new three sheet rink was built the same year. It was modernized by installing artificial ice in 1961. This building has seen been demolished and a new curling rink known as the Silver Creek Multiplex was built in 1995.

1948--Highway 21 is built passed New Norway

1950--an oil drilling rig was set up on the C. D. Flint Sr. property making oil success for the Camrose district. Small but productive oil fields were established in the area.

1953--the three congregations of Zion, New Norway and Dried Meat Lake amalgamated and moved the Zion Church building from it's location four miles west into the village. The Manse from Dried Meat Lake was moved in at the same time and located beside the church. It is now known as the Zion United Church--New Norway.

1954--A new modern twelve room school was built and a gymnasium, library and several classrooms were added later. The school has been recently renovated with other additions to accommodate grades 1-12 with a variety of academic and technical programs.

1957--Money was borrowed from the Alberta government to install water and sewer in the Village

. 1958--a water tower was erected

1960--a ten room hotel was built near the highway and still stands today.

1972--by this time Pioneer, United Grain Growers and Alberta Wheat Pool are well established grain buyers/elevators in the district.

© 2007 Village of New Norway