OUR STORY

“Great Falls has a lodge of the Sons of Norway.  It was organized in Conrad Hall by Torkell Hjelseth of Seattle, and starts its existence with a membership of more than 70.  It carries insurance as well as being a fraternal organization.  Quite a number of well known people of the city are enrolled.”  (Taken from the Great Falls Tribune – Feb. 19, 1913)
The local Sons of Norway was organized on Feb. 17, 1913 and the Daughters of Norway was organized on Feb. 24, 1913.  The two groups operated separately until March 1925 when they combined with John Sletten as the president.   It was around this time that meetings were no longer held in Norwegian.
Lodsen hosted the District and Supreme Lodge (as it was called then) conventions in 1918 – both in one week.  The lodge also hosted District conventions in 1956, 1968 and 2000.  Lodsen was originally in District 2 and affiliated with District 4 in 1922.  Several members of Lodsen have served as District officers.
In 1928 Elmatina Kleppe was elected president becoming one of the first women to be president of a local Sons of Norway lodge.
The lodge met at the Odd Fellows Hall in downtown Great Falls, the Farmer’s Union Building and the Easter Seal Center.  On May 8, 1864 the membership voted (a nearly unanimous ballot) to purchase land for a lodge building.  The site was “located along the south edge of Great Falls”.  The lodge hall was dedicated in 1965.  Additions were added in 1974, 1983 and the final remodeling with an official dedication was in 1990.
•The newsletter was first printed in 1956 using a mimeograph machine!  The name “Star” was the winner of a contest to name the paper.  “Lodsen” means “pilot” so the name Lodsen Star was very appropriate.
The first Lutefisk Dinner was held at the VFW Hall in 1960.  Serving was from 4:30 until 7:30 and the cost for adults was $2.00.
The 50th Anniversary was celebrated with a dinner and dance at the Rainbow Hotel.  The guest speaker was Einar Hammer, Director of Fraternal, who came from Minneapolis.  The cost for the evening was $5.00
The first Fair Booth was built in 1964.  That year women in “native costumes” served Scandinavian pastries, lefse and coffee.  The profit was $388.83.  By 1969 a Viking meatball was sold for 50 cents and later it became a “Viking on a Stick” (the original!).  A new booth was built in 1980  and another in 1995.  Son of Norway had the “Outstanding Concession” in 1987.