Honor our Nordic immigrants for Crossings 200
- Lori Ann Reinhall
- Aug 7
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 11
Reserve a place at Seattle's Leif Erikson Plaza for someone who had the courage to forge a new life in the New World
The striking, bigger-than-life bronze monument of the Viking explorer Leif Erikson at Shilshole Bay in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood looks out toward the sea, symbolic of the journey of the many Nordic immigrants who came to the New World. in this spirit, runic-like stones engraved with the names of immigrants surround him. Photos courtesy of the Leif Erikson International Foundation.
If you have ever visited Shilshole Bay Marina in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, you may have run into an epic figure in Nordic history in the form of an impressive 16-foot bronze statue of the Viking explorer Leif Erikson.
The Viking settlers
Leif Erikson was son of Erik Thorvaldsson (c. 950 – c. 1003 CE), known as "Erik the Red" for his red hair and beard and a very fiery temperament. Erik was born in Norway, but at age 10, he came Iceland when his father was banished there for a killing a man. His son Leif is believed to have been born there in about 970 CE.
Later, Erik the Red, would also be banished from Iceland for yet another offense. He sailed west to discover Greenland, where he settled with his family.
Like his father, Leif Erikson was an explorer, and according to many historians, he was the first European to set foot on the North American continent. He is believed to have landed in Newfoundland around the year 1000 at the place we know today as L'Anse aux Meadows. The adventurous Viking called the newly discovered continent Vinland.
Leif Erikson is believed to have died sometime between 1018 and 1025 CE. Today, 10 centuries later, he is viewed by many as the father of the Norse settlement of the New World. And while the famous seafarer and explorer certainly never came to Seattle, his legacy lives on there with the arrival of later generations of Norwegians and other Nordics who settled in the Pacific Northwest.
The history of the Leif Erikson statue
In 1962, a statue of Leif Erikson was commissioned for the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle. It was designed by University of Washington music professor August Werner (1893 - 1980) and unveiled on June 17, 1962.
After much discussion, the impressive statue was moved to Shilshole Bay in 2007. There it was placed on an elevated pedestal, so it could look out over the sea. Easily visible from the water, it has served as a navigational landmark ever since.
In 2007, 14 runic-inspired stones crafted by Northwest artist Jay Haavik were placed around the monument. They include the names of people involved in the initial project as well the names of Scandinavian immigrants, past and present.
A driving force behind the project was our member Kristine Leander, president of the Leif Erikson International Foundation (LEIF). A nonprofit foundation, it works with the Port of Seattle to maintain the statue and the plaza. Over the years, the organization has raised money and also placed other monuments along the pathway of the Vikings.
Honoring our Nordic immigrants for Crossings 200
As the year 2025 is the bicentennial commemoration of the first organized voyage of Norwegian immigrants to the United States, Crossings 200, LEIF now invites you to submit the name of a Nordic immigrant for a new plaque at Seattle’s Leif Erikson Plaza. In the spirit of the immigrants on board the sloop Restauration, there will be space for 53 names, the number of Sloopers who arrived in New York City on Oct. 9, 1825, celebrated as Leif Erikson Day in the United States.
As the LEIF website explains, by placing a name on a plaque, "you can commemorate a friend, family member, ancestor — or even yourself. The person you're honoring must be a first-generation immigrant to North America from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, or Sweden."
This is a unique opportunity to pay tribute to those who laid the foundation for our community or a Nordic immigrant living today. The cost is only $150 per name, and the spaces are filling up fast.
Only a few more names can be added now, and the final cutoff date for getting your check in is Mon., Oct. 13. Please click on the button below for more information.
The Seattle-Bergen Sister City Association is honored to partner with LEIF on this project, and we look forward to the dedication of the new plaque with the donors on Lille Julaften on Dec. 23, 2025.
