With the holidays over, the snow melted into a few remaining dirty piles, and the walls seemingly closing in, I think we have cabin fever at our place. Couple that with a 4-year old (in two weeks) with a growing mind of his own and an independent streak...well, we need to get out more! Ethan and I rode bikes around the neighborhood today though it was cold, and he and his mom have gone on a shopping trip (despite his protests) to buy him some socks and shoes that fit. But on this gray, drab Sunday, I think all of the Dunhams are looking forward to Spring...and it's still two months away!
The massive wave of Norwegian immigration to Minnesota from the 1850s through the early 20th century wasn't a casual choice; it was an escape from crushing land scarcity and economic desperation. My ancestors, the Dunhams, arrived in 1851 and built a life in Otter Tail County in Minnesota. My great-great-grandfather, Jens Christian Dunham, didn’t just survive—he thrived. He served in the Minnesota legislature as a Republican from 1888 to 1890 and later became a staunch advocate for President Teddy Roosevelt. He was the literal embodiment of the American Dream: an immigrant who fled poverty to become a lawmaker in his new home. Fast forward a century, and a new wave of immigrants—this time from Somalia—is following that exact same blueprint. Like the Norwegians before them, they fled hardship to build a future in Minnesota, and many have run for office to serve the state that welcomed them. Yet, the political rhetoric surrounding these two groups couldn't be more polarized. Don...
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