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| Steinnes - Pall Jakobson and Sigrid Jensdottir home and Community Library, Hecla Island, Manitoba |
Hecla is one of the largest islands on Lake Winnipeg in the province of Manitoba. It is approximately nineteen miles long by six miles wide (at its widest point).
Its name was Big Island, and history has written that when the Icelanders came in 1876 they changed the name of the island to Mikley, which means "Magnificent Island".
The early years on the Island were difficult for the Icelanders. The first winter on the Island was extremely cold, and a small pox epidemic swept through the community, and unfortunately 30 of the 145 settlers died. The surviving settlers were strong in spirit and determined and took to the land and built a community. Fishing became a livelihood for the Icelanders. They built their own sawmill, and began to farm the land. The community for the most part was self-sustaining.
The Steinnes house, where members of my family were raised, was also the community library. The Library was entirely Icelandic, whose books came by ship directly from Iceland. Records indicate that the library was founded on February 6th, 1896 and was named "Morgunstjarnan" (Morning Star). The public library remained in operation until 1967. The home also had traditional Icelandic scenes painted on the walls, painted by a resident at the Steinnes home - Asunder Eymundsson.
Additional sources:
Scattering of Seeds - Immigration History- http://www.whitepinepictures.com/seeds/ii/21/history2.html
136 - New Iceland - A Forgotten Nordic Colony In Canada - http://bigthink.com/strange-maps/136-new-iceland-a-forgotten-nordic-colony-in-Canada
History of Gimli Manitoba Settles - http://www.gimlicommunityweb.com/history/history.php
History of Hecla Island - http://www.reocities.com/heartland/woods/4013/history.htm
Manitoba History: Nya Island I Kanada: The Icelandic Settlement of the Interlake Area of Manitoba
http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/27/icelandicsettlement.shtml
Its name was Big Island, and history has written that when the Icelanders came in 1876 they changed the name of the island to Mikley, which means "Magnificent Island".
The early years on the Island were difficult for the Icelanders. The first winter on the Island was extremely cold, and a small pox epidemic swept through the community, and unfortunately 30 of the 145 settlers died. The surviving settlers were strong in spirit and determined and took to the land and built a community. Fishing became a livelihood for the Icelanders. They built their own sawmill, and began to farm the land. The community for the most part was self-sustaining.
The Steinnes house, where members of my family were raised, was also the community library. The Library was entirely Icelandic, whose books came by ship directly from Iceland. Records indicate that the library was founded on February 6th, 1896 and was named "Morgunstjarnan" (Morning Star). The public library remained in operation until 1967. The home also had traditional Icelandic scenes painted on the walls, painted by a resident at the Steinnes home - Asunder Eymundsson.
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| Beggi Palsson carrying a calf, Hecla Island, Manitoba |
Scattering of Seeds - Immigration History- http://www.whitepinepictures.com/seeds/ii/21/history2.html
136 - New Iceland - A Forgotten Nordic Colony In Canada - http://bigthink.com/strange-maps/136-new-iceland-a-forgotten-nordic-colony-in-Canada
History of Gimli Manitoba Settles - http://www.gimlicommunityweb.com/history/history.php
History of Hecla Island - http://www.reocities.com/heartland/woods/4013/history.htm
Manitoba History: Nya Island I Kanada: The Icelandic Settlement of the Interlake Area of Manitoba
http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/27/icelandicsettlement.shtml
Roxanne, I am a Pallson (now spelled Paulson) i have some of the books from the library. I was trying to find out something about them and it led me here. We must be distant cousins.
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