8 4 7 ▁for ▁Norway ' s ▁Luther an ▁con greg ation ; ▁the ▁community ▁had ▁been ▁founded ▁th ir teen ▁years ▁earlier ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁settlement ▁of ▁the ▁Fox ▁River ▁Valley . ▁The ▁Norwegian ▁Americans ▁sett ling ▁the ▁Fox ▁River ▁Valley ▁came ▁from ▁a ▁short - l ived ▁settlement ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁were ▁supp lement ed ▁by ▁new ▁Norwegian ▁imm igr ants ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁years ; ▁the ▁Fox ▁River ▁Valley ▁is ▁considered ▁the ▁first ▁permanent ▁Norwegian ▁settlement ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Minister ▁Ell ing ▁E iel sen , ▁a ▁follow er ▁of ▁the ▁H au ge ▁Syn od , ▁established ▁the ▁first ▁Norwegian ▁Luther an ▁con greg ation ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁at ▁Norway ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 9 . ▁When ▁the ▁con greg ation ' s ▁original ▁log ▁church ▁burn ed ▁down , ▁they ▁built ▁the ▁H au ge ▁Luther an ▁Church ▁as ▁its ▁replacement . ▁The ▁church ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁foc al ▁point ▁of ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁community ▁until ▁its ▁con greg ation ▁merged ▁into ▁another ▁church ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁The ▁building ▁is ▁now ▁home ▁to ▁the ▁Nor sk ▁Museum , ▁a ▁museum ▁of ▁Norwegian ▁culture ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁church ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁in ▁La S alle ▁County , ▁Illinois ▁Category : Ch urch es ▁on