Sonner Av Norge or Sons of Norway Hall 2018; Fritjov Lodge, #17 – Organized April 24th, 1910. Building dedicated in 1914.

Sons of Norway Hall, dedicated in 1914.

Cropped from a street view of Main Street in 1917 the two story Thompson Hall has been moved across the street by the Sons of Norway and converted to their hall.

The Sons of Norway Hall has a long history in Stanwood. Its members were vital to the local culture as singers, musicians as well as business and religious leaders and Stillaguamish Valley farmers.

The hall building was originally located across the street west of the “Stanwood House” which was Thompson’s residence.
According to Gustav Joergenson (in his “History of the Twin Cities” article series)  “Mr. Irvine’s new hall and warehouse was built on the North side of Irvine Slough during 1889-90” and used by the Masons until they built their own in 1895. J.  H. Irvine sold the business and hall to Norwegian immigrants Thompson, Alfred Ryan and Carl Ryan in 1903 according to Grace Ryan Cornwell.   In 1914 The Sons of Norway bought the hall from S.A. Thompson and moved it over to its present location where they rebuilt the hall in 1934 (see Twin City News April 8, 1937)

The Sons of Norway Hall and the Stanwood House are both recognized as one of the historic places in Stanwood’s Historic Plaque program.

The store itself remained where it was evolving into the Hitching Post/Thriftmart IGA which burned in February 1978. Its location is now an empty lot  (scroll down).

For more of the story—-

Original the Irvine store business was establish in about 1878 near the waterfront, was sold to S.A. Thompson. Circa 1903 which is possibly the occasion of the photograph.

The “modernized” Hitching Post, formerly the Thompson Store in Stanwood, burned in February 1978. At that time is was known as the Thriftmart IGA.

(Refer Stanwood Story, v.1, p63(il.),80, v.2, p103(il.); hall, v.2, p89; v. 3 p. 48)