Aslak Lie House Ribbon Cutting and Open House June 21; 3:30pm – until after the dance – FREE!
The Aslak Lie House, a structure that has been in the process of being restored and rebuilt by Folklore Village community volunteers, interns, apprentices, and folk school students, is slated for its grand opening Saturday, June 21, 2025 starting at 3:30 pm. Activities will include a conversation about the home’s original builder, Norwegian immigrant Aslak Lie, and the history and philosophy of the community-led restoration project, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a tour of the hand-restored home, a potluck, and an evening dance. All activities are free and open to the public.
Conversation and light refreshments will begin at Farwell Hall, 3210 County Road BB, Dodgeville, Wisconsin at 3:30, then move to the Aslak Lie site where the ribbon-cutting and home tour will take place at 5:00 pm, returning to Farwell Hall for the potluck and dance at 6:00 pm. Bring something to share for the old-fashioned potluck dinner. Music for the free evening dance will be provided by the Scandinavian-American Old Time Dance Music Ensemble, with Greg Winz calling the dances. Come help us celebrate this momentous occasion!
The Aslak Olsen Lie (pronounced Lee) House was built in Southern Wisconsin in 1848-49. Aslak was a master craftsman, carpenter, cabinetmaker, and blacksmith–first in his native Norway, and then in the United States. He is one of the few country immigrant craftsmen in the United States whose work has been traced on both sides of the Atlantic. His 1848 Wisconsin home is one of the oldest and most venerated remaining Norwegian-American structures in the state.
For decades the Lie House (originally located near Mount Horeb, Wisconsin) sat empty, untended, and inaccessible to the public. This 34′ x 17′ two-story log and timber frame house was in desperate need of relocation and extensive repairs if it was to survive. To preserve and honor this unique piece of Norwegian-American and early Wisconsin history, its owners donated the structure to Folklore Village.
In 2003 the Aslak Lie House was carefully catalogued and disassembled before being transported to Folklore Village. Folklore Village engaged the knowledge and skills of historic restoration specialist Alan Pape to research and develop a Historical Architectural Analysis and Restoration Plan for the Aslak Lie House. The plan was completed in 2009, and this invaluable information has guided the effort to reassemble, restore, preserve, and interpret the Aslak Lie House and Aslak Lie himself.
Rebuilding began in 2014, led by retired carpenter and master craftsman Nels Diller of Madison, Wisconsin. In the past ten years, inumerable volunteers, apprentices, and interns have assisted Nels in the effort to restore the Aslak Lie House, primarily using hand tools and the traditional methods Aslak Lie himself would have used to construct the house. In 2022 the second story was raised during a community barn raising, and the roof followed. In 2023 the process of “chinking and daubing” began, in which Nels and the team of dedicated volunteers and interns filled in the gaps between the logs with a mortar material. Work continues on the Aslak Lie House, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony planned for spring of 2025.
Support the Aslak Lie Project
If you would like to help support this project by making a donation, click the button below. If you would like to receive additional information on recognition opportunities, contact Folklore Village Executive Director, Terri Van Orman: terri@folklorevillage.org or (608) 924-4000.
