David C. Mauk papers, 1912-2004

Biography/History: 
David Mauk is a professor emeritus of North American Area Studies at the University of Oslo. He is the author of numerous publications in the field of U.S. immigration and ethnic history, including “The Colony that Rose from the Sea: Norwegian Maritime Migration and Community in Brooklyn.” 

Scope and Content: 
Materials in this collection pertain to Mauk’s research for his publication “Heart of the Heartland: Norwegian American Community in the Twin Cities.” This book is an in-depth study of the Norwegian-American community of Minneapolis–St. Paul and its complex role in the economic, political, and cultural life of the Twin Cities over more than 170 years. The project started in 1995 when NAHA Editor Odd S. Lovoll approached Mauk to write the history of Norwegians in St. Paul and Minneapolis. Prior to Mauk’s work, no exhaustive research or history has been written about the Norwegian-American community in the Twin Cities. Scholars had documented the history of Norwegian Americans in other large cities, such as Chicago and Brooklyn, but no one had tackled the Twin Cities — the unofficial “capital” of Norwegian America. While many previous studies had focused on rural life, Lovoll and Mauk thought it was important to devote increased attention to urban communities. 

While researching for the project, Mauk and his assistants, Mikkelssen and Løvås, collected 162 oral history interviews. Many of the interviews have been digitized through funding from the Sons of Norway Foundation. The David C. Mauk papers include transcripts of the interviews, clippings, scrapbooks, photographs, and more from his research. 

Processing Information:
Finding aid by Grace Peterson, 2026.