Stavig House Museum Receives Acts of Excellence Award from the South Dakota Hall of Fame
SISSETON, S.D.—On May 3, 2023, South Dakota Hall of Fame Board Director Gerry Likness and Chief Executive Officer Laurie Becvar presented an Act of Excellence award to the board of directors of the Stavig House Museum for their historical venue.
Photo (left to right): Stavig House Museum Board Director Jane Rasmussen, SD Hall of Fame Board Director Gerry Likness, Stavig House Museum Board President John Rasmussen, and Stavig House Museum Board Directors Yvonne Hippen and Kay Nikolas.
“We are here today to make a very important award for preserving an extraordinary history,” said Becvar.
The Stavig House in Sisseton, SD was built by Scandinavian craftsmen in 1916. The house combines elements of Victorian-era and Arts & Crafts-style architecture, and is listed on the National Historic Register. The museum tells the story of a Norwegian immigrant family through three generations—from fishermen in Norway, to homesteaders on the Dakota prairie, to main street entrepreneurs in the new town of Sisseton.
Photo: Board Director Jane Rasmussen, great granddaughter of Lars Stavig, holding the prestigious Acts of Excellence award.
Andrew Stavig, the eldest son of Lars Stavig, designed the house and raised his family in the home. Immigrants from Norway also stayed in the home and were employed by the Stavig brothers’ store (Stavig Bros, Inc.) on Main Street. The successful mercantile business served the area well from 1898 to 1998.
Well known for letters offering a firsthand perspective of life in the late 1880s to the late 1930s, the Stavig Letters are an extensive collection of letters written between two brothers, Lars Stavig, who emigrated to America, and Knut Stavig, who stayed in Norway. The Letter Collection consists of over 150 letters spanning five decades. The Stavig Letters give voice and reality to the immigrant experiences and inform the perspectives of the old and new country. These letters inspired the development of a Reader’s Theatre, an Emmy award-winning documentary, and a published book.
The Stavig House Museum tells the heart-warming and universal story of a typical family coming to America for a better life and the poignant reminder of the passing of time.
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An exhibit of the Stavig House Museum will be on display at the SD Hall of Fame’s Visitor and Education Center in Chamberlain early this spring (and throughout the year), along with the other 2023 Act of Excellence recipients.
The museum is open to the public June through August (Thursday–Saturday, 10 am–4 pm and Sunday 1–4 pm), as well as by special appointment. The Stavig House Museum is located at 112 First Avenue West in Sisseton. Visit sissetonmuseum.com for more information.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Laurie Becvar, Ed.D., M.A.
CEO, South Dakota Hall of Fame
The South Dakota Hall of Fame is a 501c3 organization designed to Honor, Inspire, and Educate. The Hall’s mission is to Champion a Culture of Excellence and the SD Hall of Fame lives out its mission through its programming, including the Acts of Excellence Program. This year, 14 organizations/individuals have been chosen for their Acts of Excellence.