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“Saga” 
Decoration in the Lodge Room by Y. Sonnichsen 
Norway Hall in Seattle 
In the centennial year 1914, when all Americans with Norwegian 
blood in their veins, if they were not crossing the ocean to celebrate 
Norway’s independence with their kinsmen across the sea, were at 
least watching the mother country with quickened interest, the Sons 
and Daughters of Norway in Seattle began to put into execution 
their plan of erecting a building which should he a center of Norsedom 
in the city. An executive committee was formed, and the task of draw¬ 
ing a design was entrusted to the architect, Kngelhard Sonnichsen. It 
was decided to have a building in the Norwegian style, using as much 
as possible the peculiar ornamentations and color combinations that 
lend distinction to Norwegian applied art. In the paintings that 
were to decorate the wall surfaces it was planned to perpetuate the 
history and traditions of which Norwegians are justly proud. The 
sponsors of the undertaking aimed not only to furnish a convenient 
meeting-place for the two societies, but to express worthily the culture 
which these organizations were endeavoring to preserve. At the same 
time as they wanted to keep their heritage fresh in the minds of the 
people of Norwegian descent, they also wished to present it adequately 
to fellow-citizens of other racial groups. 
The means at the disposal of the committee were limited, and 
when the hall was taken into use on American Independence Day, 
July 4, 1915, the mural paintings were not yet executed. Largely 
through the generosity of Norwegian shipping men who visited Seattle 
