How did the churches figure into the process of assimilation?
The Norwegian immigrants strove to maintain some continuity with their past lives in the Old World as they relocated to the United States in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. They either rented space or built small wood-framed structures similar to the small Trinity Lutheran church to hold their church meetings. If they successfully achieved adequate numerical and financial growth, they moved to a larger and more durable building. The Norwegians planned to maintain their Lutheran beliefs while speaking Norwegian in their churches. They wanted to be reminded of their Old World roots and reclaim the sense of community they had lost when they came to North Dakota. As a result, the early church was assimilated by following what the Norwegians did.