Carroll Juven

Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame
2006 inductee

Carrol Juven was born in North Dakota, in an area near Wyndmere known as “Little Hallingdal,” and was baptized and confirmed in the Gol-Al Norwegian Lutheran Church, located right on his family’s farm.  All four of his grandparents had immigrated to the region from Norway in the 1870’s and Norwegian traditions and language were carried forward well into the middle of the 20^th century.

Interest in his own heritage inspired his first visit to Norway.  But 120 Norwegian sojourns later, it’s obvious Carrol Juven’s interest reveals a much larger desire: to help every Norwegian-American discover his roots across the Atlantic.  And that desire has grown to include helping Norwegians observe life in America as well.

Juven’s first trip to Norway was in 1967.  Since then he has made regular trips to the country of his roots and established a travel agency in Fargo, ND, through which he has escorted or arranged travel to Norway for more than 45,000 Americans, helping Norwegian-Americans investigate their heritage by taking them to the regions where their ancestors lived.  He also established “Hands Across the Sea,” a program that has brought more than 21,000 Norwegians to the United States to show them the nation where so many of their relatives settled.

Juven has become known as “Mr. Norway” for his love of that country and his activities related to the promotion and preservations of ties between the US and Norway.  He actively serves in the Sons of Norway and has been named that group’s Manager of the Year four times and helped add more than 10,000 new members to the group.  He helped establish the Sons of Norway Charter Flight program, which has carried more than 25,000 members to Norway.

Juven and his wife Barbara have three grown children and seven grandchildren.

A Heart for Norway (Norwegian American Weekly, March 30, 2012)