The Icelandic Rootshús
Our next big adventure.
The Icelandic Rootshús will be a permanent interpretive center for Icelandic heritage, genealogy, education, and community, all coming together under one roof. It brings the online work of Icelandic Roots into a welcoming physical space for learning, study, and sharing, across generations and across the ocean.
The Rootshús will stand in Mountain, North Dakota, at 277 Main Avenue — on land largely donated to Icelandic Roots, across from the historic Vikur Church and Cemetery, on ground homesteaded by Rev. Páll Þorláksson, the Father of the Icelandic Settlement in Dakota.
A LIVING INTERPRETIVE CENTER
At its heart, the Rootshús will be a modern interpretive and educational center that blends interactive, high-tech learning experiences with traditional learning spaces. Visitors of all ages will explore:
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Emigration journeys from Iceland to North America
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Family lines unfolding across time and place
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The shared Icelandic story across the globe
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Their own genealogy and ancestral connections
This is not a static museum or library but a high-tech living center—designed for discovery, built for connection, and open to everyone.
THE EXHIBITS
The Library
The Rootshús will be home to our Icelandic-North American collection of more than 4,000 volumes — many rare and valuable — including works in Icelandic and English, a rare reprint of the original Guðbrandsbiblía, genealogy records, and other memorabilia and educational materials.
Much of this collection was donated to Icelandic Roots over many years, including 29 boxes from mathematician Michael Fell's personal library and 38 boxes generously donated by George Hanson. In 2013, Sunna purchased 26 boxes of Hálfdan Helgason's genealogy books, which became the foundation of the collection.
The library will serve as a research space for scholars, genealogists, historians, students, and anyone curious about Icelandic heritage in North America.
ROOTED IN PLACE
The Rootshús will be located at 277 Main Ave., Mountain, ND 58262 on mostly donated land. This is the heart of the Icelandic settlement region. The site sits on land homesteaded by Rev. Páll Þorláksson, across Main Avenue from the Vikur Church and Cemetery, overlooking the beautiful Red River Valley. Each year for 127 years in 2026 the Icelandic heritage celebration, The Deuce of August, is held in Mountain where visitors come from around the world.
Land donations from: Lori Byron Cameron, Phyllis Byron Aarseth, Eugene Byron, Susan Hanson, & Roger Bjornson
The Emigration Trail
An immersive audio/visual experience that traces the journey from Iceland to North America. Visitors enter symbolically through a turfhouse door — the last door our ancestors left from. Inside, the story unfolds through sound, image, and narrative — the decision to leave, the crossing, the arrival, and the new beginning on the Dakota prairie.
Children's Discovery Corner
A dedicated hands-on learning area designed to connect the next generation to their heritage. Children will engage with Icelandic culture through interactive activities, stories, and discovery — making the history personal and alive.
3D Interactive Map of Iceland
A large-scale interactive map connecting visitors to the places their families left behind. Touch a region and learn about its history, its emigrants, and the families who made the journey to North America.
Storyboard, Artifacts, Displays
Rotating storyboards and curated displays will tell the stories that don't fit neatly into a database — the personal items, the photographs, the letters, the objects that traveled across the ocean in trunks and pockets. These displays will change over time, drawing from our collections and from community contributions.
Genealogy Exploration
Visitors will have access to genealogy assistance and can explore the Icelandic Roots databases — the most comprehensive Icelandic-North American genealogical databases in existence, with nearly 859,000 individuals and much more than names and dates. Staff and volunteers will be available to help visitors discover their own connections.
Gift Shop & Coffee Bar
Operated in cooperation with the Icelandic Communities Association, the gift shop will offer books, Icelandic-themed items, and select Icelandic Roots merchandise. This partnership strengthens ties across the Icelandic heritage community. A simple coffee and tea bar will be available for self-service.
PROJECT STATUS & TIMELINE
The Rootshús has been in development for more than eight years.
Here is where things currently stand:
Planning & Land Acquisition: Complete — 8+ years of community building
Core Land Donation: Received October 2025
Architectural Planning: Initial planning with strong progress on interior layout
Building Shell Budget: Up to $600,000 with significant donation pledged
Additional Grant Funding: Applications in progress
>>Current Focus: Interior exhibit sponsorships and donor letters
Ground Breaking: August 1, 2026 (Deuce of August)
Grand Opening: July 31, 2027 (Deuce of August)
Support the Rootshús
The Rootshús needs your help to become a reality. Whether you give toward the building, sponsor an exhibit, or make a gift of any size, you are helping preserve Icelandic heritage for generations to come.
Significant gifts will be recognized through plaques near exhibits and a digital legacy display inside the Rootshús, featuring donor names and ancestral connections. For friends without Icelandic ancestry, recognition will honor their support and the place they call home.
Icelandic Roots is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Or mail a check to: Icelandic Roots 4715 Woodhaven St S Fargo, ND 58104 *Our address will change to our new home in Mountain once it is completed.
For inquiries or questions, please contact us at sunna@IcelandicRoots.com or 701-200-1694.
Learn More About the Library’s History
Over the years, the Icelandic Roots library has grown through intentional collecting, donations, and professional cataloging. These articles share that journey:
Sunna's Dream of a Little Safnahús on the Prairie — By Rob Olason (July 2023)
The Michael Fell Collection — In 2022, we received 29 boxes from the mathematician Michael Fell.
Cataloging Update — By Angela Beaton, from her work in 2021 and 2023.
Þórdís Edda Guðjónsdóttir — Summer 2018 intern for the IR Library.
George Hanson — A generous donation of 38 boxes of books in 2017.
Hálfdan Helgason Collection — In 2013, Sunna purchased 26 boxes of genealogy books.