Norway in America - Texas

Post office names in USA and Canada with Norwegian origin.
Research by Hallvard Slettebø and Dag Henriksbø.


This page was updated 10 May 2021

Buaas, TX
Buaas, post office in Travis Co., TX, open for three months in the summer of 1880. Named for John Laurence (Johan Lauritz) Buaas (1817-1890) from Bodø, Norway.

Four Mile Prairie, TX
Four Mile Prairie, Van Zandt Co., TX. The community was established by Johan Reinert Reiersen, born 1810 in Vestre Moland, Norway, the family moved to Holt near Tvedestrand. He came to the USA in 1843, was a writer, author and publisher as well as an early Texas pioneer and emigration activist. The post office operated 1849-1866.

Hellandville, TX
Hellandville, post office in Ellis Co., TX. The place was first called Helland, for Hans Helland, born 1854 in Bergen, Norway. He emigrated to Texas, worked as a railway engineer and died there 1928. The post office opened 1895 with Garrette Maynard as postmaster and changed name to Britton the year after, closed 1955.

Norman Hill, TX
Norman Hill, post office in Bosque Co., TX, established 1879 on postmaster Ole Canuteson’s farm. He was born in Karmøy, Norway. The post office closed 1870, was re-established 1874 and finally discontinued 1879. NFT 7/2016.

Normanna, TX
Normanna is a community in Bee Co., TX. In 1893 a Norwegian colony moved into the area and settled two miles east of Walton Station. The settlement is still called the Colony. A post office was established in 1894, but another Texas town already had the Walton name, so the town became Normanna, the name loosely translates as “Home of the Norsemen”. Andrew Petersen was first postmaster. The population was 113 at the 2010 census. The Normanna, TX post office is still in operation. NFT 7/2016.



Norse, TX
Norse was a community in Bosque Co., TX, founded and named by Norwegian immigrant Ole Canuteson (1832 -1920), who had come to Bosque Co. in 1854 with a small group of his countrymen led by Cleng Peerson, known as the father of Norwegian immigration. The Norse, TX post office opened 1880 with Ole R. Laugen as postmaster. Discontinued 1929 with mail to Clifton. NFT 7/2016.



Norway Hills, TX
Norway Hills, post office in Bosque Co., TX. Opened 1879 with Alvin G. Reeder postmaster. Discontinued 1890 with mail to Norse. NFT 7/2016.



Prairieville, TX
Prairieville, city in Kaufman Co., TX. Johan Reiersen (born in Vestre Moland, Norway, the family moved to Holt near Tvedestrand) and a portion of The Texas Norwegian Colony transmigrated here from Henderson County in 1848. A post office was granted in 1854 and continued (with one short-lived closing) until 1954 – closing on its centennial, with mail to Mabank. NFT 7/2016.



Rockne Station, TX
Rockne Station, a one-day post office in Bastrop Co., TX, in operation on 10 March 1988. Commemorating Knute Rockne, a Norwegian-American football player and coach at the University of Notre Dame, IN. Dag Henriksbø writes about Rockne Station, TX.



Walhalla, TX
Walhalla, post office in Fayette Co., TX. The name comes from Valhalla, the hall of slain warriors in Norse mythology. The post office opened 1886 with Gustave Schuhmann postmaster, and was discontinued 1909, superseded by R.D. from Round Top.

Woden, TX
Woden, a rural hamlet in Nacogdoches Co., TX, known first as Jacobs and later as King’s Store. Anna Green suggested the name Woden in 1886 when the community’s post office was being established. Wm. H. Parrish became the first postmaster. Woden is an old English form for Odin, the principal god in Norse mythology. The post office is still in operation.

Not confirmed: Iverson, TX
Iverson, Hill Co., TX, established 1896 with T. Sevier as postmaster. Closed 1907 with mail to Milford.
When Captain Connor left, the community became "Iverson". We have no information as to how the name was selected.


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