Pioneer Norwegian Log Home
Irvine Park, Chippewa Falls

This log house, constructed of hand-hewn White Pine logs was built by Norwegian immigrant Ole Pederson Bjerke about 1881. Ole and his wife Mari had three sons: Gus, John, and Charles.

Around 1880, Ole had applied for a Homestead in the Chippewa County township of Colburn, nine miles east of Cornell. The log home was built at that site and lived in by Ole and Mari until their deaths in 1905 and 1908. Their descendants occupied it until 1953.

In February of 1979 the Clement Bayerl family, a great-grandson of Ole Bjerke, donated the log home to the Chippewa County Historical Society. It was moved to this site by the Mitchell House Moving Company and restored to pioneer standards by Mike Young. The Chippewa County Historical Society furnished the log home and in 1987 donated it to the City of Chippewa Falls for Irvine Park.

Chippewa County Historical Society
Historic Sign #24