By Robbie LaFleur

Hermund Kleppa delved deeply into the story of generous Norwegian-American women who wanted to celebrate their heritage by presenting a replica of the Baldishol Tapestry to Mrs. Calvin Coolidge.  Dream big!–they wanted their gift to hang in the White House, no less. Read this addendum after enjoying “The Baldishol Tapestry in the White House” by Hermund Kleppa.  

The Baldishol Committee was formed following the Norse-American Centennial in 1925, to arrange the gift to Mrs. Coolidge.  The Coolidges had raised the profile of the Centennial with their visit. Those of you who are familiar with the Twin Cities in Minnesota will find it entirely logical that while other states might be represented as a whole, in Minnesota it was necessary to have both a Minneapolis and a St. Paul subcommittee, with the names of the members on each side of the letterhead. 

Records of the Baldishol Committee were given to the Minnesota Historical Society at the Minnesota History Center. (A list of the file contents) The file includes a beautiful hand-penned journal listing the finances; here are two pages of expenses. 

Nearly 5000 Norwegian-American women donated money for the tapestry; some donations were as little as a dollar, a few were in the hundreds. Kristi Sekse Meland was paid $1500 for the replica. Three beautifully bound books listing the donors were made–one for Mrs. Coolidge, one to stay with the tapestry at the White House, and the third for the committee.  The committee copy is at the Minnesota History Center. (The introductory pages are here.) From the forward:

They have felt that no memorial could be more in keeping with the sprit of the centennial than a copy wrought with exquisite care and workmanship of the famous old Baldishol tapestry from the last years of the twelfth century. They have chosen this because it embodies in a form of rare beauty and interest the evidence of the ancient civilization from which they have come and the inheritance they have brought with them into American life. 

Perhaps your relative was among the donors? The full list from the commemorative book is here. 

After the tapestry was delivered to Minnesota, the Committee arranged for a local viewing and a “splendid program”–for 35 cents.  

Hermund Kleppa wondered whether the translation of Hans Dedekam’s book about the tapestry was delivered to the White House.  When Mrs. Bothne wrote to Mrs. Bryn (wife of the ambassador) on May 19, asking whether Mrs. Coolidge would be able to receive the delegation on June 8, she mentioned the Dedekam book.  Mrs. Bothne asked, “Has Mons Breidvik finished the translation of the French “Resume” which is to be inserted in Hans Dedkam’s [sic] book and will it be in Washington before we arrive?”

I don’t think the Dedekam book or translation was delivered. It isn’t mentioned in the committee records that describe the festive activities around the presentation.  From the Baldishol Committee records: 

Mrs. Bothne and Mrs. Kylle were chosen to present the tapestry on the first anniversary of the centennial, June the 8th, 1926. Madame Bryn held a great reception at the Norwegian legation for these two members of the committee and Mrs. Reque, representing the New York Auxiliary, on June 7th. And on June 8th Madame Bryn gave a luncheon for them to which the wives of Congressmen and Senators of Norwegian descent were invited. Afterwards the whole party was transported to the White House and presented to Mrs. Coolidge by Madame Bryn. Mrs. Bothne then presented the tapestry to Mrs. Coolidge voicing the gratitude of the Norwegian women for her honoring them by her presence at the Centennial celebration. As a gift to her personally she was also given a beautifully bound book containing the names of all those who contributed to the tapestry and also the Centennial gold medal.  A similar book similar to the [one] given to Mrs. Coolidge was given to the White House to be kept together with the tapestry.

It’s sad that the White House Baldishol has remained in storage, but in the summer of 2020 you will have the opportunity to view another copy of the Baldishol Tapestry, also believed to be woven by Kristi Sekse Meland, at Norway House in Minneapolis. This copy, one of three full-sized replicas owned by the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, will be lent to Norway House as part of the show, The Baldishol: A Medieval Norwegian Tapestry Inspires Contemporary Textiles. 

At one point Vesterheim Director Marion Nelson thought that the copy owned by Vesterheim was perhaps the one given to the White House, and in 1976 wrote to Den Norske Husfliden (DNH, the Norwegian Handcraft Association).  Synnøve Tidemand responded that the Vesterheim Baldishol was woven by Kristi Sexe Meland for DNH and sold through Husfliden. Vesterheim Curator Laurann Gilbertson said that information fits, because the donor acquired other textiles from Husfliden, some of which were donated to the museum. (See the letter.)

A second copy of the Baldishol Tapestry was woven in Norway and donated by the Baltimore Seamen’s Church when it closed in 1985. 

The third Vesterheim replica was woven by Alma Amalie Guttersen of St. Paul, Minnesota, who studied tapestry weaving in Norway and had the yarns dyed there.  Alma was on the planning committee for the Norse-American Centennial in 1925 and was inspired to learn Norwegian weaving after seeing the Baldishol copy that was given to the Coolidges.  Alma was born in 1865 in Trondheim, immigrated to Minnesota in 1866, and died in 1966 in Florida.  

If you would like to see the original tapestry, 2020 will also be the year, when the new Nasjonalmuseet (National Museum) opens in Oslo.  

Almost a century after the Norse-American Centennial and the celebration of the Baldishol tapestry through the White House gift, it’s a good time to look at the history of the tapestry and its inspirational qualities. Mark your calendars for the opening of The Baldishol: A Medieval Norwegian Tapestry Inspires Contemporary Textiles, June 26, 2020.

Thanks to Laurann Gilbertson, Curator at the Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum, for information on the museum’s copies of the Baldishol Tapestry. 

Updated, April 2024