Yesterday morning we sat around trying, as usual, to figure out something fun to do that day as a family. Again as usual, we couldn’t agree on what to do — until the idea of going to a place called Little Norway came up. Little Norway is a tourist attraction about 20 miles west and a little south of Madison, WI, near Mount Horeb.
We’d never heard of it until I found it while doing an Internet search for things to do in Wisconsin. We all got ready and made the trip there, arriving mid-afternoon. I wasn’t expecting much but was pleasantly surprised at how interesting and nice the place was. Even the little kids enjoyed learning about the history of the place and how people lived there many years ago. I took a lot of photos and surprisingly they turned out pretty well.
The highlight of the tour was Norway House, a relic of the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Constructed in Norway during the winter of 1892/93, taken apart and then shipped to Chicago to be reconstructed onsite, this building is pretty incredible to see in person. Inside is like a museum unto itself, with tons of interesting antiques, knick-knacks, Norwegian artifacts, and more. It includes an original sheet music manuscript by Edvard Grieg, the famous Norwegian composer, supposedly the only one held outside of Norway.
The drive home was uneventful but enjoyable because the weather had moderated such that we could have the windows open the whole way. The area of Wisconsin where we visited is quite picturesque and interesting. We’re going to go back someday to visit Cave of the Mounds and House on the Rock, which are nearby.
. I am particularly excited by the prospect of new venues built in and around Washington Park near my old stomping grounds at the University of Chicago, which was a key part of Chicago’s bid. Interestingly, my place of work (and even some people in my department) is playing a key supporting role in trying to make this dream happen for Chicago.