To celebrate the first annual Leif Erikson* Day in the U.S., in 1964, Minnesota Governor Rolvaag asked Sons of Norway and the Minnesota press to find a young man with the same name. Fifteen Minnesotans responded, but not all were of Norwegian descent. Gradually, the number was narrowed to two – a boy of 11 from Austin and Leif, age 17, from Moorhead. Since the Leif Eriksen coming to the ceremony from Norway was 16 years old, the 17-year-old Minnesotan was deemed a better choice.

The very next day, American Leif was flown from Moorhead to the Twin Cities where he was interviewed at the Minnesota State Capitol. A tipping point in the questions was knowing the name of the King of Norway. Leif answered, “Olav,” and the odyssey began. He was flown back to Moorhead, thinking how fortunate he was to have been selected, but at the same time feeling a bit overwhelmed.

With just one day of rest at home, Leif packed and pondered what was to come. He rode the train back to the Cities and was picked up to go directly to the airport. Governor and Mrs. Rolvaag had a private suite in the back of their plane, with 20 seats in front of their enclosure for press and assistants. Landing at Andrews Air Force Base, the governor and entourage were driven via limousine to the Mayflower Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C. Leif was told that he would speak twice. The first occasion was a conference call to Sons of Norway Headquarters in Minneapolis during a breakfast meeting of the International Board of Directors. The second speech was at the State Department Building in front of the Norwegian Ambassador, the press, Dean Rusk, Secretary of State, Governor Rolvaag and Leif Eriksen from Sarpsborg, Norway, who was clad in his Hallingdal bunad.

The Norwegian government had invited Leif Eriksen from Sarpsborg, to present a 900-year-old battle axe to the United States to mark the designation of celebrating the first-ever Leif Erikson Day on October 9, 1964. A sword of the same era had previously been presented to President Eisenhower in 1958 by the captain of the Norwegian school ship Christian Radich when the windjammer had visited the United States.

After an impressive ceremony at the State Department, the group got a personal tour of the White House followed by an elegant formal luncheon hosted at the Norwegian Embassy. The whirlwind continued to the airport for the journey back to Minnesota. Leif was thrilled to be asked if he wanted to see the cockpit on the flight home. He sat on a jump seat right behind the pilot as the plane flew over Chicago.

Leif’s connection to the celebration on October 9th each year was furthered in Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge 1-008’s push for the restoration of the Leif Erickson statue at the Minnesota Capitol. Leif was in on the hearings. Half of the restoration costs were raised by Synnøve-Nordkap lodge and half by the State of Minnesota. Each year, for many years, Leif presided over the ceremonies at the statue on Leif Erickson Day.

*Editor’s note: the three Leifs in this story spell their surnames differently. Leif from Sarpsborg, Norway spells his name “Eriksen,” American Leif spells his name “Erickson,” and the Viking adventurer is spelled a variety of ways, including Erikson, Erics(s)on, Leiv Eiriksson and Leifr Eiríksson. Neither of the 20th century Leifs claim to be descendants of the explorer.

Photos courtesy of Leif Erickson.