The Uff Da! Scandinavian History Trolley Tour: Celebrating 200 Years of Nordic Culture in the Chippewa Valley

Celebrate 200 years of Scandinavian immigration to the United States on The Uff Da! Scandinavian Trolley Tour, presented in partnership with the Chippewa Valley Museum. Guided by CVM staff member Declan Melchoir, you’ll visit key sites from Eau Claire’s Nordic history and see historic photos from the museum’s collection.

Your tour begins at The Local Store, located in an area of downtown Eau Claire once thick with boarding houses catering to Norwegian laborers. As you relax on the trolley, you’ll discover the Scandinavian roots of a popular local restaurant, two present-day churches, and one of the city’s hospitals.

Enjoy colorful stories of Eau Claire’s first Norwegian policeman, roughneck lumberjacks, the last survivor of an 1874 immigrant shipwreck, and many others.

Included in this tour are two short off-trolley experiences:

• The museum’s Anderson Log House, one of the oldest remaining examples of a specific style of Scandinavian architecture in North America. Imagine what life was like for a Norwegian immigrant family in the Chippewa Valley 150 years ago.
• A visit to the Victorian cottage owned by Norwegian newspaper publisher Waldemar Ager during the first half of the 20th century, now owned and operated by the Ager Association.

The Uff Da! Scandinavian History Tour lasts approximately 90 minutes. Depending on weather, be prepared for the trolley to be set up enclosed with sliding windows, or open-air with brass railings (and roll down curtains in case of rain). Pro tip: Wear layers appropriate for heat/humidity, or cool breezes.

The two short walks off the trolley are on sidewalks and grass. Generally safe for all ages. Expect to be off the trolley and walking for about 10-15 minutes at each one. At its length, and its depth of information, this tour is not recommended for children under seven years old.