John & Ingeborg Thoreson Farm

The Thoreson farm offers an idyllic setting

NPS credit

The John & Ingeborg Thoreson Farm is located on the west side of Thoreson Road about 2 miles from M-22.

This parcel of land had two early owners, William Foster and John Hartel. Both men sold their land to Thomas Kelderhouse, who owned it until 1881. The 1891 plat map reveals three owners: Fred and John Anderson, and Lisbet Johnson. All three parcels were bought by John Thoreson in the late 1890's.

John and Ingeborg (Sakariasdette) Thoreson operated a general farm with livestock, small grains, and hay. With 75 trees, they were the first Port Oneida farm to raise cherries for market. They also owned sheep, pigs, chickens, and a few dairy cattle.

Electricity came to the farm in 1945; the Thoresons bought their first tractor in 1947 and purchased a milking machine in 1949.
John and Ingeborg emigrated from Norway on the same boat, but according to family lore, they never really met on the boat. Ingeborg resided with the higher-priced ticket holders, while John remained below deck with the lower-fare travelers. Along with their sons Ole and Fred, they built the farm around 1890. Ole and Fred Thoreson and Ole's son Leonard ran the farm though the 1950's.

According to Leonard Thoreson, Port Oneida was the best place in the world to grow up. The neighbors had many good times together but worked hard. "The farmers all pulled together and thrashed & filled silo and worked together; anybody that needed help buzzing wood, they all helped. The more you helped somebody else, the more people you had to help you on yours."

The Thoresons were welcoming and always seemed to have a someone staying with them. They took care of sick neighbors and hired others who needed money. And if they needed to get their cherries off the trees, neighbors came-women and children-and helped pick.
Remnants of the families' once extensive apple and cherry orchard are visible in a field northwest of the farmyard, with the grid layout still evident.

In partnership with the National Park Service, volunteers from the Glen Arbor Art Association have been restoring the farm buildings and using the site as an arts education center. The equipment shed has been rehabilitated for class-room and studio space. They have repaired the red granary building and the barn. They are now working on the interior of the house. The farm is one of the hosting farms during the annual Port Oneida Fair