Our history

The founding members of our club had a desire to gather as many Scandinavian country men and women as possible to a first official Scandinavian event in Columbus. The event was inspired by Mrs. Herbert F. White (Johanne Kristine White, later to become better-known as "Mother Bauer") who learned that a Danish pastor was visiting from Denmark with a set of color slides from the homeland. The Whites invited the pastor to show these slides at their home to an unknown number of other Scandinavians guests in 1936. It was during this evening that the idea of a broader Scandinavian gathering was born. Later that year, a written invitation (below) was sent out to as many Scandinavian people as could be initially identified around Columbus - to come and celebrate the 1st Scandinavian Julefest in Columbus.

That celebration was an immediate success with 52 adults and children attending. An initial club board of temporary officers was formed that evening with four founding board members: 

Axel Nielsen President
Oscar Peterson Vice-President
Bjarne Lund Treasurer
Victor Frederiksen Secretary