Theodore C. Blegen
Encyclopedia
Theodore Christian Blegen (16 July 1891 - 18 July 1969) was an American historian and author. Theodore Blegen was the author of numerous historic reference books, papers and articles written over a five decade period. His primary areas of focus were of the history of the state of Minnesota and of Norwegian-American immigration.
as the son of born to Anna Regine (1854-1925) and John H. Blegen (1851-1928), both of whom had emigrated from Lillehammer, Norway. His father was a professor at Augsburg College
in Minneapolis and played a central role in the Norwegian Lutheran Church in America. He was the younger brother of noted archaeologist, Carl Blegen
.
During World War II
, he directed the National Historical Service, preparing materials for the U.S. Army's G.I. Roundtable. Blegen’s undergraduate studies at Augsburg College
B.A. (1910) were followed by graduate work at the University of Minnesota
M.A. (1915), Ph.D. (1925) that led to a doctorate in history. In 1928, he was a Guggenheim Fellow and studied in Norway
.
, and at Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, then served an apprenticeship at the Minnesota Historical Society
in the arts of editing and meticulous research. He succeeded to the position of superintendent of the historical society. Blegen was a professor of history (1920–1927) at Hamline University
in St. Paul. Blegen was a professor at the University of Minnesota
(1927–1939) and later dean of the graduate school (1940–1960).
In 1925, Blegen was appointed the first managing editor of the Norwegian-American Historical Association
. He was elected president of the Organization of American Historians
in 1943. His career with the Minnesota Historical Society
began in 1922. He served on the executive council and was superintendent until 1939. He returned to the Society as a research fellow in 1960 after his retirement from teaching. He was also one of the founders of the Forest History Society
. He served two terms as president, was elected a Fellow of the Society in 1963, and for more than twenty years served on the Society's executive committee. The Forest History Society initiated the Theodore C. Blegen Award in 1972.
Blegen received recognition in the form of honorary degrees from Hamline University, Carleton College
, St. Olaf College
, Luther College
, and Augustana College
. Blegen was made honorary doctor at the University of Oslo
, 1938. He was a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
from 1946 and The Royal Norwegian Society from 1954. In 1950 he was knighted into the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. Blegen Hall on the University of Minnesota
Twin Cities Campus is named after Theodore C. Blegen.The research papers of Dr. Blegen was located in the University Archives, University of Minnesota. The Minnesota Historical Society
also has a collection of Theodore C. Blegen papers.
Background
Theodore Christian Blegen was born in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
as the son of born to Anna Regine (1854-1925) and John H. Blegen (1851-1928), both of whom had emigrated from Lillehammer, Norway. His father was a professor at Augsburg College
Augsburg College
Augsburg College is a selective liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Augsburg was named for the Augsburg Confession, the document of Lutheran belief. The school was founded in 1869 in Marshall, Wisconsin as Augsburg Seminary and moved...
in Minneapolis and played a central role in the Norwegian Lutheran Church in America. He was the younger brother of noted archaeologist, Carl Blegen
Carl Blegen
Carl William Blegen was an American archaeologist famous for his work on the site of Pylos in modern day Greece and Troy in modern day Turkey...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he directed the National Historical Service, preparing materials for the U.S. Army's G.I. Roundtable. Blegen’s undergraduate studies at Augsburg College
Augsburg College
Augsburg College is a selective liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Augsburg was named for the Augsburg Confession, the document of Lutheran belief. The school was founded in 1869 in Marshall, Wisconsin as Augsburg Seminary and moved...
B.A. (1910) were followed by graduate work at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
M.A. (1915), Ph.D. (1925) that led to a doctorate in history. In 1928, he was a Guggenheim Fellow and studied in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
Career
Blegen did high-school teaching at Fergus Falls, MinnesotaFergus Falls, Minnesota
Fergus Falls is a city in and the county seat of Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,138 at the 2010 census.-Today:...
, and at Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, then served an apprenticeship at the Minnesota Historical Society
Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a private, non-profit educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was founded by the territorial legislature in 1849, almost a decade before statehood. The Society is named in the Minnesota...
in the arts of editing and meticulous research. He succeeded to the position of superintendent of the historical society. Blegen was a professor of history (1920–1927) at Hamline University
Hamline University
-Red Wing location :Hamline was named in honor of Leonidas Lent Hamline, a bishop of the Methodist Church whose interest in the frontier led him to donate $25,000 toward the building of an institution of higher learning in what was then the territory of Minnesota. Today, a statue of Bishop Hamline...
in St. Paul. Blegen was a professor at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
(1927–1939) and later dean of the graduate school (1940–1960).
In 1925, Blegen was appointed the first managing editor of the Norwegian-American Historical Association
Norwegian-American Historical Association
Norwegian-American Historical Association publishes scholarly books, documenting research and interpretations of the American experience of immigrant Norwegians....
. He was elected president of the Organization of American Historians
Organization of American Historians
The Organization of American Historians , formerly known as the Mississippi Valley Historical Association, is the largest professional society dedicated to the teaching and study of American history. OAH's members in the U.S...
in 1943. His career with the Minnesota Historical Society
Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a private, non-profit educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was founded by the territorial legislature in 1849, almost a decade before statehood. The Society is named in the Minnesota...
began in 1922. He served on the executive council and was superintendent until 1939. He returned to the Society as a research fellow in 1960 after his retirement from teaching. He was also one of the founders of the Forest History Society
Forest History Society
The Forest History Society is an American non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of forest and conservation history. The society was established in 1946 and incorporated in 1955....
. He served two terms as president, was elected a Fellow of the Society in 1963, and for more than twenty years served on the Society's executive committee. The Forest History Society initiated the Theodore C. Blegen Award in 1972.
Blegen received recognition in the form of honorary degrees from Hamline University, Carleton College
Carleton College
Carleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The college enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. In 2012 U.S...
, St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College is a coeducational, residential, four-year, private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American immigrant pastors and farmers, led by Pastor Bernt Julius Muus. The college is named after Olaf II of Norway,...
, Luther College
Luther College (Iowa)
Luther College is a four-year, residential liberal arts institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, located in Decorah, Iowa, USA...
, and Augustana College
Augustana College (Illinois)
Augustana College is a private liberal arts college located in Rock Island, Illinois, United States. The college enrolls approximately 2,500 students. Covering of hilly, wooded land, Augustana is adjacent to the Mississippi River...
. Blegen was made honorary doctor at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
, 1938. He was a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters is a learned society based in Oslo, Norway.-History:The University of Oslo was established in 1811. The idea of a learned society in Christiania surfaced for the first time in 1841. The city of Throndhjem had no university, but had a learned...
from 1946 and The Royal Norwegian Society from 1954. In 1950 he was knighted into the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. Blegen Hall on the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
Twin Cities Campus is named after Theodore C. Blegen.The research papers of Dr. Blegen was located in the University Archives, University of Minnesota. The Minnesota Historical Society
Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a private, non-profit educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was founded by the territorial legislature in 1849, almost a decade before statehood. The Society is named in the Minnesota...
also has a collection of Theodore C. Blegen papers.
Selected bibliography
- The Competition of the Northwestern States for Immigrants (1919)
- Norwegian Migration to America, 1825-1860 (1931)
- Building Minnesota (1938)
- A Review and a Challenge (1938)
- Norwegian Migration to America: The American Transition (1940)
- Grass Roots History (1947)
- The Land Lies Open (1949)
- Lincoln's Imagery: A Study in Word Power (1954)
- Kensington Rune Stone, New Light on an Old Riddle (1960)
- Minnesota: A History of the State (1964)
Additional Source
- Flanagan, John T. Theodore C Blegen, a Memoir (Norwegian-American Historical Association. Northfield, MN. 1977)