The first college founded by Norwegian Lutheran pioneer immigrants in the United States opened in the parsonage of Halfway Creek Lutheran congregation on Sept. 1, 1861. Its teachers were Laur. Larsen and F.A. Schmidt, who also served as pastors for area immigrants, and enrollment was 16. The parsonage was destroyed by fire in 1865. The college moved to Decorah, Iowa, in 1862, where it continues.