Jill Hennick

Who among us wouldn’t jump at the chance to enter a time machine and travel back through history to witness first hand some of the events we have always learned about in books or from family stories?

Midland Backs Out—“The wait is over,” the Washington County Pilot-Tribune announced this past March 22. “Nearly three years after Midland University signed a lease agreement with Krejci Development to acquire control of the former Dana College campus, the Fremont institution has announced it will not purchase the campus and plans to end its lease.”

After more than five years of navigating through the stormy seas of the closing of Dana College and searching for a permanent home, the DAAL has finally sailed into safe harbor where we can stay for the next several years. And now we have the time to focus completely on our mission.

Teacher, college professor, pastor, editor and scholar Dr. John W. Nielsen established the DAAL in its current form in 1990 and infused it with his energy and a passion for Danish American history that carries through to today. Because of his foresight and leadership, the DAAL has survived almost insurmountable challenges and come through stronger than ever.

Once in a while in the life of an organization, an offer comes along that’s just too good to pass up, and this is one of those times for the Danish American Archive and Library. John Eriksen, owner of the building the DAAL currently occupies (and a Dane) has agreed to sell the building to us at a price that will allow us to thrive in it for years to come.

2014 was a momentous year for the Danish American Archive and Library. We not only made decisions about finding a permanent home for the Archive, but also about our day-to-day operations, our relationships with other institutions, fundraising initiatives and outreach to the Danish American community at large.

The Danish American Archive and Library website has taken on a whole new, more colorful look. But it is more than just appearance. Significant changes to the way the site operates makes it more user-friendly and the information more accessible.

The Danish American Archive and Library began a journey in July of 2010 when we left the Dana College campus, eventually relocating at our current address on the main street of Blair. Since that time we have continued to grow, thrive, and strengthen and are now ready for the next major step in our journey.

As a new graduate student at UNO, I decided I wanted to take on an internship during my first semester. My advisor, Dr. Kristin Girten, placed me at the Danish American Archive and Library to give me a feel for the kind of archival work I will be expected to do if I pursue a PhD. I was excited to work there because my family has ties to Denmark. I never imagined all the exciting finds I would make while working on my first assignment!