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All the United States Minnesota Alexandria Kensington Runestone

Kensington Runestone

14th century Norse artifacts in Northwestern Minnesota could have proved a Viking landing before Columbus.

Alexandria, Minnesota

Added By
Alex Timian
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(Flickr/Trip Deezil)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/mypantsisyour...
(Flickr/Trip Deezil)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/mypantsisyour...
(Flickr/Trip Deezil)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/mypantsisyour...
(Flickr/Paul-W)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/paul-w-locke/...
Kensington Runestone, upper right, inscription   Doc Nicholas / Atlas Obscura User
Kensington Runestone, side panel inscription   Doc Nicholas / Atlas Obscura User
Kensington Runestone, upper left inscription   Doc Nicholas / Atlas Obscura User
Near full size replica of Viking merchant ship   gloomcookie / Atlas Obscura User
The replica of a pioneer shop at the Runestone Museum   gloomcookie / Atlas Obscura User
Small part of extensive Pioneer life artifacts at Runestone Museum   gloomcookie / Atlas Obscura User
Example of Viking Home at Runestone Museum   gloomcookie / Atlas Obscura User
Kensington Runestone   gloomcookie / Atlas Obscura User
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About

There is a deep Scandinavian pride in the Midwest, and the heart of that culture thumps from deep within Minnesota. Minneapolis has the highest concentration of Norwegians outside of Norway, and the small towns that dot the sparsely-populated plains work on a daily basis to cultivate their Viking heritage, letting the facts follow the legend.

In 1898, a Swedish-American farmer named Olof Ohman and his son were working on their property near Kensington, a rural town in western Minnesota. According to their story, the two men noticed a massive stone poking out from the earth while clearing away stumps. Upon closer examination, the men realized the stone was in fact a 200-pound slab of sandstone carved with markings resembling ancient Norse runes. The inscription purports to be a record left behind by Scandinavian explorers in the 14th century (internally dated to the year 1362)

After hauling the stone out of the ground, the men took it to Kensington,  which had a Scandinavian newspaper. The stone's arrival in Kensington brought about an immediate frenzy of activity and scholarship. Inscriptions were studied by Scandinavian linguists at the University of Minnesota amidst a flurry of accusations claiming the rune-covered stone was left by Vikings from the 14th century. Eager to see the runes prove a Viking presence in the new world before Columbus, many in the community excitedly trumpeted the slab's historical accuracy.

Unfortunately, professors and prominent Runologists in both the United States and Scandinavia found major flaws in the slab, the first being with its dating, which by even the most stretched account only dated back 500 years. Besides issues of age, the runes were also inconsistent with Norse language of the 14th century. After years of scholarship and heated debate over a gem that could validate Vikingphilia further in the Midwest, it was almost universally declared a hoax.

Despite the outcome of the rune studies, many people living near Kensington hold onto the claim, and the hope, that the slab is in fact a genuine Viking monument from an exploratory mission 600 years ago. Today, the Kensington Rune is displayed in a museum in the nearby city of Alexandria, MN.

Related Tags

Hoaxes And Pseudoscience

Community Contributors

Added By

atimian

Edited By

Miss Trista, gloomcookie, Doc Nicholas

  • Miss Trista
  • gloomcookie
  • Doc Nicholas

Published

October 11, 2011

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Sources
  • http://kensingtonmn.com/runestonepg.html
  • https://www.runestonemuseum.org/runestone/
Kensington Runestone
206 Broadway St.
Alexandria, Minnesota, 56308
United States
45.884258, -95.373978
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Big Ole

Alexandria, Minnesota

miles away

Legacy of the Lakes Museum

Alexandria, Minnesota

miles away

Sinclair Lewis Boyhood Home

Sauk Centre, Minnesota

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Alexandria

Alexandria

Minnesota

Places 3

Nearby Places

Big Ole

Alexandria, Minnesota

miles away

Legacy of the Lakes Museum

Alexandria, Minnesota

miles away

Sinclair Lewis Boyhood Home

Sauk Centre, Minnesota

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Alexandria

Alexandria

Minnesota

Places 3

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