Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle records, 1900-1989
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle
- Title
- Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle records
- Dates
- 1900-1989 (inclusive)19001989
- Quantity
- 3 cubic feet (6 boxes)
- Collection Number
- 2244 (Accession No. 2244-004)
- Summary
- Records of a Seattle, Washington club formed to promote Icelandic language and culture
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Open to all users.
- Languages
- Icelandic, English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The predecessor of the Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle, Vestri, was established in Ballard, Washington on October 21st, 1900 by members of the Icelandic-American community in Ballard. Vestri was formed to promote learning and fellowship, retain the purity of the Icelandic language, and encourage greater knowledge of Icelandic literature. Activities during Vestri meetings included singing, reading poetry and stories as well as speeches concerning various local, national, and historical topics. Members also discussed social events and other administrative topics relating to the club and its activities.
By 1965 attendance at the club meetings was low enough to raise concern. Members of Vestri recognized the need to transform the club "to meet present day needs"—specifically to hold the meetings in English while carrying on the work of Vestri in the community. On March 16, 1965 the Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle was formally established, and in May 1966 Vestri was formally dissolved. Since 1965, the Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle has continued to promote Icelandic culture and language. It has sponsored the Scandinavian Music Festival, Iceland Independence Day celebrations, and Icelandic language courses. In 1982 the Club held a reception to honor the president of Iceland. In 1986 it was formally received into the Icelandic National League of North America, which is "a non-political, cultural organization that strives to contribute to North American culture through the preservation and promotion of the positive aspects of our Icelandic heritage... through the strengthening of cultural bonds and kinship ties with the people of Iceland and through the promotion of cooperation among Icelandic cultural groups here in North America."
In 1911 Vestri was complimented by a women's auxiliary called Eining, also based in Ballard, Washington. Eining was partly modeled on the Ladies Aid Society of Minneota. According to the club's constitution, the purpose of Eining was "to aid the ill and needy Icelandic people and families in Seattle and vicinity: not only members but non-members as well" as well as to "promote friendly associations in the Icelandic community in Seattle."
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The records of the Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle document the activities of the club and its predecessors, Vestri and Eining, as well as Icelandic and Scandinavian cultural events in Seattle, Washington. Vestri and Eining established constitutions and by-laws, and they kept minutes of their meetings. Vestri created its own Icelandic language periodical titled Geysir. Much of the material prior to 1966 is in Icelandic, including the issues of Geysir and the minutes, but there are selective translations and historical reports in English. The translations were made by Anna Bjornson, who also wrote about the club's history in historical reports. The translations consist of excerpts from Geysir, club meeting minutes, and the constitutions and by-laws of Vestri and Eining.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged into three series:
- Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle historical reports, 1965-1989
- Eining records, 1911-1971
- Vestri records, 1900-1966
Acquisition Information
Donated by the Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle, via Ted Beck, in January 2002.
Processing Note
Processed by Dan Waters in 2006.
Related Materials
Additional Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle records are part of the Scandinavian Archives, Accession No. 0356-001, in Special Collections.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle Historical Reports, 1965-1989Return to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/1-13
Mostly concerns annual and occasional events related to Icelandic and Scandinavian cultures. They also include documentation of the following topics: club organizational structure, celebrations, weddings, anniversaries, obituaries, Iceland Independence Day, Christmas around the world, Scandinavian Music Festival, and Icelandic language teaching and courses. The reports were written by two club appointed historians, Gudrun Magnusson from 1965 to 1978, and Anna Bjornson from 1979 to 1989.
Eining Records, 1911-1971Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/14 | Constitution |
1911 |
2/1-15 | Minutes
Minute books from the 1970s and 1980s have some color
photographs pasted to the pages.
|
1911-1971 |
2/16 | Minutes Translations |
1911-1971 |
Vestri Records, 1900-1966Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
2/17 |
Geysir
There are gaps for the following years: 1903-1905, 1912-1913,
and 1915-1919.
Geysir was self-described as both a
"monthly periodical" and "magazine" of Vestri.
Geysir seems to have been a news and
entertainment resource that was read aloud at meetings. Its primary focus was
the life of Icelandic-Americans in Seattle, but it also includes reflections on
national issues and events. No issues were produced for distribution, as only
one was made per meeting. The translated issues include stories about the lives
of Seattle Icelandic-Americans, as well as sections on news, advertisements of
local and Icelandic events, and summaries of the state of the club.
|
1901-1902 |
3/1-22 |
Geysir
|
1901-1941 |
4/1-13 |
Geysir
|
1942-1964 |
4/14-15 |
Geysir Translations |
1901-1902, 1906, 1910-1911 |
Minutes |
||
Box/Folder | ||
4/16-17 | Vestri Meetings |
1900-1905 |
5/1-18 | Vestri Meetings |
1907-1958 |
6/1-4 | Vestri Meetings |
1959-1966 |
6/5 | Vestri Hall |
1902-1910 |
6/6 | Icelandic Day |
1933-1952 |
6/7-17 | Vestri Meetings Translations
Two programs in Icelandic included with 1920 minutes.
|
1900-1966 |
6/18 | Vestri Hall Translations |
1902-1910 |
Box/Folder | ||
6/19 | Icelandic Day Registration Book |
1938-1960 |
6/20 | Ledger: Vestri Books |
1918-1966 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Icelandic Americans--Societies, etc.--Archives
- Icelandic Americans--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Scandinavian Americans--Societies, etc
- Scandinavian Americans--Washington (State)--Seattle
Corporate Names
- Eining (Club)--Archives
- Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle--Archives
- Vestri (Club)--Archives
Geographical Names
- Ballard (Seattle, Wash.)--Social life and customs--20th century
Form or Genre Terms
- By-laws
- Constitutions
- Minutes
- Obituaries
Titles within the Collection
- Geysir
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Bjornson, Anna (creator)
- Magnusson, Gudrun (creator)
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)