Stjernen--a Danish or an American Paper?

Authors

Karsten Kjer Christensen

Keywords

newspapers, assimilation, Americanization

Abstract

On October 8, 1936, The Dannebrog News printed a special issue celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Dannebrog's incorporation as a town. The first Danish immigrants arrived in Howard County in 1871 and founded the settlement of Dannebrog the following year. But it would be another fourteen years before Dannebrog received official status and could establish its first town council. First appearing in 1898, the English-language The Dannebrog News became the longest persevering publication in the Dannebrog area. It was not the town's first, however, as two other newspapers preceded it. In the spring of 1874, an attorney by the name of W. H. Mitchell began publication of The Dannebrog Sentinel (originally Vagtpost). Unfortunately, the same year-by a few votes-Dannebrog lost to St. Paul in an election to become the "county seat" of Howard County, a significant setback for the Danish town. Howard County's population was insufficient to support the growth of both towns. For this reason, The Sentinel folded by the end of 1874.

Recommended Citation

Christensen, Karsten Kjer (2003) "Stjernen--a Danish or an American Paper?," The Bridge: Vol. 26: No. 2, Article 8.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/thebridge/vol26/iss2/8