Kvam, Nord-Fron Kommune Kvam is the home to most ancestors to the families Martinson, Sandbo and Teigen among many others. Many others of their ancestors came from some of the other communities in this region, including Vinstra, Ringebu, Vågå, Sel, and others. The view at left is looking east, down river at the town of Kvam. The Lillesandbu farm is in the lower left of this image. Photographer: Widerøe flyveselskap, taken from the Nord-Fron Kommune site.
	The Gudbrandsdalen Valley North of Lillehammer, in Oppland Fylke, Norway, this river valley was home to many of Christopher Odegard's paternal ancestors. This valley, along the Gudbrandsdalslågen River, is famous as the setting for the story of Peer Gynt. Photograph by David Odegard, taken in 1994 during a trip to Norway with wife Barbara.
	Lille-Sandbu Farm, Kvam, Nord-Fron Kommune This was the birthplace of Hans Knutsen Sandbo in 1861 and the home of the family since about the 1830s, when Hans Knutsen's grandfather Hans Knutsen Brandstad resettled from the Brandstad farm in Ringebu, several miles to the south along the river. Prior to that generation, the male family line continues back on the Sør Bræ farm in Sel, just up river, or over the mountains to the northwest of Kvam. Photographer unknown. From the collection of Christopher Odegard.
	Lille-Sandbu Farm, Kvam, Nord-Fron Kommune This is the Lille Sandbu farm from which the Sandbo family takes their name. It is known also as Vetle-Sandbu. Some locals still call it Fautgården, which means Bailiff's Estate, because a retired bailiff lived there just before our family settled there. This is an aerial view of the Lille Sandbu farm from the 1950s or 1960s. Photographer: Widerøe flyveselskap, taken from the Nord-Fron Kommune site.
	Søre Bræ Farm, near Sjoa, Sel Kommune This is the Søre Bræ farm, the original known home to the male family line for Hans Knutsen Sandbo (1861-1948). Sør Bræ is also known as Søre Breden (Breden being a Danish-influenced dialect name, and Bræ being the original Norse). This farm was the home to Knut Hanssen Breden (1774-1831) and his male ancestors, the earliest known of whom is Jakob Frederiksen (1605-1665), but the family may have even earlier ties to this farm. Photographer: Widerøe flyveselskap, taken from the Nord-Fron Kommune site.
	Lomoen Farm, Vinstra, Nord-Fron Kommune This is the Lomoen farm, the birthplace of Ole Martinson Lomoen (1835-1915). He known as Ole Martinson after his immigration to the Dakota territories in 1866. Ole's mother's family had been at Lomoen for generations, Ole's father came from Løften, part of Kongsli a mile or two west of Lomoen. Photographer: Widerøe flyveselskap, taken from the Nord-Fron Kommune site.
	Veikleenget Farm, Kvam, Nord-Fron Kommune Veikleenget farm is the borthplace of Thora Jacobsdatter Veikleenget Martinson (1837-1924). Considered part of Kvam, the farm is about halfway between Kvam and Vinstra on the west side of the river. Photographer: Widerøe flyveselskap, taken from the Nord-Fron Kommune site.
	Teigen Farm, Kvam, Norway This is the Teigen farm in 1912, the birthplace of Anne Hansdatter Teigen (1836-1928), mother to Hans Knutsen Sandbo. Anne married Knut Hanssen Sandbu, and they immigrated to Watson, Minnesota in 1878. Pictured here is the family of Anne's brother. From left to right are Edvard (b.1890), Hans (1840-1913), Anne (b.1842), Sina (b.1879) and Ingeborg Teigen. Photographer unknown. From the collection of Tor Teigen, as contributed to Norway's Digitalarkivet.
	Kvam Kirke 1885 This Kirke (or church) is somewhat typical of the traditional timber churchs built across Norway. This is likely the church where members of the Sandbo and Teigen families were married and baptized. Photograph from the National Library of Norway.
	Sødorp Kirke, Vinstra 2008 Sødorp church on the eastern side of Vinstra village, Nord-Fron kommune, Oppland Fylke, Norway. This small Evangelical Lutheran parish church was built in 1752. It was the setting for the wedding of Ole and Thora Martinson, as well as for many other weddings, baptisms and funerals in the extended Martin Olsen Lomoen family. The records for this church are sporadically incomplete, but do cover most years from 1750 to 1900. Photograph from the National Library of Norway.
	Ringebu Kirke This Kirke (or church) is somewhat typical of the traditional timber churchs built across Norway. This church is in the town of Ringebu, about halfway between Kvam and Lillehammer, and was built in the late 13th century. Many Sandbo ancestors moved up and down the Gudbrandsdalen valley, and Hans Knutssen Brandstad (1800-1892), the grandfather of Hans Knutssen Sandbo was baptized here. This particular church is sometimes associated with the Per Gynt story. Photograph from a Ringebu historical web site.
	PillarGuri A invasion in 1612 by the Scottish was defeated in the Gudbrandsdalen valley in Sel kommune, and the woman PillarGuri became the symbol of that success. About 500 peasant militia members planned an ambush at Kringen, the narrowest part of the valley. The ambush was signaled, according to legend, by the blowing of a great horn by a young woman now known as PillarGuri (or sometimes PrillarGuri). The Scottish invaders, led by Lord Ramsey and George Sinclair, were massacred with rocks and improvised weapons. The legend lives on as a quiet point of Norwegian pride in the valley, but figures of PillarGuri can be found at most gift shops. Pictured here are the PillarGuri memorial, and the memorial erected to George Sinclair by members of his Scottish clan. Photographs from various tourist sites.