A Cache of Immigrant History

Apr 28, 2016

Our geocache is back in Yankton after spending the summer of 2015 visiting on the front porch of the Berdahl-Rolvaag House, located at Heritage Park on the Augustana University campus in Sioux Falls. Our logbook appears to have floated off in a gust of prairie wind, but we found a few comments from satisfied geocachers online:

“Very interesting history. Thanks, South Dakota Magazine. I am part of the Goonies cachers — family members from Mitchell, Sioux Falls, Rapid City. We have found all of your caches so far except the first one. The door was locked to the tower and it was on a Sunday with nobody around to let us in.” — Buffalodon

“SEEK84 and I stopped by to pick this one up as we were returning from Yankton where we had been geocaching for 3 days. I honestly did not know this place existed until we stopped to find the cache and sign the log. SEEK84 and I actually stopped by the South Dakota Magazine office prior to heading north/home. Here we found their cache and paid our subscription for another year. Love the magazine and love the cache. Thanks for placing another one.” — Jaguars96

“I left work a little early today so I could stop and visit my niece and newborn baby boy. This came out as I was on my way so I made a little detour. I have gone past this park many times but never stopped. I'm glad I had a reason today.” — Raw54

Thanks to those who sought out last year’s cache and learned a little bit about South Dakota history at the Berdahl-Rolvaag House. Part of Augustana’s Heritage Park, the house was built by Norwegian immigrant Andrew Berdahl near Garretson in 1884. Andrew’s daughter Jennie married “Giants in the Earth” author Ole Rolvaag, and some of their possessions can be found inside the home. A 1909 schoolhouse once used near Renner Corner, Beaver Creek Lutheran Church, and the cabin where Ole Rolvaag wrote are also located at Heritage Park, south of 33rd Street between Grange and Prairie Avenue in Sioux Falls.

Our 2016 geocache will be ready soon! When we have coordinates for you, we’ll post them here in Editor’s Notebook.