By Carol Colburn and Laurann Gilbertson

Edtor’s note: This article first appeared in Vol. 19, number 2, 2021 of Vesterheim, the beautiful magazine published by Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum.

“Is the Old Shoemaker Still with You?“

Our immigrant forebears would have enjoyed the high-tech footwear of today, or a sturdy set of Red Wing boots. From the article:

The first immigrants traveled across the ocean by sailing ships. After 1875, travel was by faster steam ship. Either way, from the ship they generally traveled west as far as a train would take them and the rest of the journey was by wagon or, as commonly, on foot. Immigrants reported the trauma of walking 25, 100, and even 300 miles on foot. For instance, the Larson family: parents, children, grandmother, uncles, and aunts decided to finish their journey to DeSoto, Iowa, on foot in 1870, walking 25 miles.

“It was a hot day and the clothes which were so comfortable in Norway in the middle of May were anything but comfortable in Iowa in early July. . . . In the evening we finally reached our destination, a weary, discouraged, footsore group. For a week Mother was unable to walk.”