First Settlement of
Icelanders
in the United States
Leif Eriksson, an Icelander, discovered America in 1000 A.D. Eight centuries later 1855-1860 sixteen pioneers from Iceland established in Spanish Fork the first permanent Icelandic settlement in the United States. They were: Samuel Bjarnson & Wife Margret; Thordur Didriksson & wife Helga; Gudmundur Gudmundsson; Loftur Jonsson & wife Gudrun; Jon Jonsson & wife Anna; Gudrun Jonsdottir: Magnus Bjarnson & wife Thuridur; Vigdis Bjarnadottir (Holt); Gundy E. Haflidiason; Ragnhildur S. Hanson and Mary H. Sherwood.
To determine the acutal coordinates gather information at the site and apply it to these partial coordinates:
N 40° 0A.BBB W 111° CC.DDD
A = The date in May the rock was removed
BBB = Add 615 to the number of days it took to travel from Iceland to Salt Lake.
CC = D.U.P. Marker Number + 2
DDD = Subtract 1329 from the year the Icelandic government officially recognized The Church.