Travel with Rick Steves 816 Vesterheim; Atlas Obscura Curiosities; Lessons Learned
Dec 27, 2025
Chris Johnson, president of Vesterheim, shares insights into the museum's bicentennial exhibit celebrating Norwegian-American heritage. He discusses how immigrant traditions endure and the rich history of the 1825 emigration wave. Dylan Thuras, co-founder of Atlas Obscura, explores curious locations and quirky artifacts around the globe, like hair museums and Bulgarian monuments. Listeners share amusing travel stories, from humorous language mishaps in France to magical moments in Venice, enriching our appreciation for the unexpected in travel.
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Vesterheim Keeps Norwegian-American Culture Alive
- Vesterheim preserves a vast Norwegian-American cultural record with 33,000 objects and active folk-art teaching programs.
- Chris Johnson notes immigrant communities often keep older traditions fresher in the new land than in the homeland.
The 1825 'Sloopers' Three-Month Voyage
- The original 1825 emigrants (the 'Sloopers') left Stavanger on July 4 and endured a three-month voyage to New York aboard the ship Restoration.
- Chris Johnson highlights their coastal route followed trade winds via England, Spain, West Africa, then across to Brazil.
Two Centuries Of Norwegian Migration Patterns
- Norwegian immigration spread across the U.S. in successive waves from 1825–1925, moving westward from Illinois to the Dakotas and coast.
- By 1925 about a third of Norway's population had emigrated to North America, reshaping communities.
