Icelanders who left Vopnafjörður for the New World

Background

History & Background

Large-scale emigration from Iceland to North America shaped many communities in the late 19th century. Vesturfarinn, the organisation behind Vesturfaramiðstöð Austurlands, works to strengthen connections with descendants of emigrants from East and Northeast Iceland, particularly people who left Vopnafjörður, the Múlasýslur districts and Þistilfjörður, including migration associated with the difficult years following the 1875 Askja eruption. The memorial in front of Kaupvangur commemorates Vopnafjörður emigrants and includes lines by poet Stephan G. Stephansson.

Vesturfaramiðstöð Austurlands is located in Kaupvangur, Vopnafjörður's cultural centre. The centre focuses on the history of people who emigrated from East and Northeast Iceland, especially Vopnafjörður and neighbouring districts, and on maintaining connections with their descendants abroad. In the garden directly in front of Kaupvangur stands a memorial to Vopnafjörður residents who left for the New World. Lines from Stephan G. Stephansson's poem 'Úr Íslendingadags ræðu' are inscribed on the memorial stone. The centre and the memorial are best presented together as one historical visitor stop rather than as duplicate attractions.