Celebrating 100 years in Downtown Livermore – The Dania Hall

There’s an unassuming yellow building that has resided in downtown Livermore for 100 years now. It quietly sits on the southwest corner of South N and Second streets, with a colorful and cultural past...the Dania Hall. Here’s a tale of its Danish roots, and a recipe to boot! 

A story passed down in the Holm family tells that one of Ida Holm’s (our great grandmother) forefathers was a Danish sea captain who sailed into the Bay when there were only seven houses in what is now San Francisco, California.

It is known that Danish whaling ships anchored in the San Francisco Bay in search of water and provisions. The height of the California Gold Rush was from 1849–1853. Many sailors deserted their ships to join gold seekers (known as the 49ers) in the placers of the Sierras. The majority had little success.

Many had noticed the abundance of natural resources in the Bay Area — redwood forests, millions of wild fowl, large herds of game animals, fish in the rivers and bays, salt, and rich land that could produce hay, grain, and vegetable crops. Markets were available in rapidly growing San Francisco, which was booming with tents and wooden houses.

A young Danish sailor, Cornelius Mohr, left his ship in 1852 to find work as a carpenter and farmhand on the ranches around Alvarado in the Bay Area. In 1853 he purchased 200 acres of the Soto Land Grant. Many of the young Danish immigrants found work through Mohr. He became recognized as the founder of “Little Copenhagen” and “Germantown,” which is now San Lorenzo in Alameda County. Cornelius Mohr’s properties grew to include 360 acres in Pleasanton where his son, Henry P. Mohr, raised large grain crops, pastured range cattle, and became a noted breeder of Clydesdale and Shire draft horses.

Henry P. had five daughters: Eileen, Ernestine, Mildred, Cecile, and Edna. They were family friends of the Holm family. Cecile recalled enjoying a visit at 4 p.m. on a Sunday at the Holm house and being delighted by the spread of food, which included delicious cream puffs.

Many of the young Danish immigrants had experience as carpenters and ship builders. They carried hammers with square heads and became known as “squareheads.” The immigrants planted crops and prospered. Some harvested salt from the land edging the Bay. Landings were built and barges and schooners carried grain, vegetables, fruit, salt, and wild fowl to San Francisco. Some also carried passengers and baggage to San Francisco and other local ports such as Alvarado, Alviso, Redwood City, and Pigeon Point. Roberts Landing, north of the mouth of San Lorenzo Creek in San Leandro, became the great shipping point for the surrounding area and from the Livermore and San Ramon valleys. Alameda County was formed in 1853.

In the San Leandro area, the Denmark Hotel in Mount Eden became the headquarters for Danish dances, lodge meetings, religious services, and other community events. Many of the immigrants were from the duchy of Schlesweig-Holstein. This area had been fought over by the rulers of bordering Germany and Denmark for decades. Many would leave when they reached the age when they could be drafted into the military. Some immigrants spoke the language of both countries.

Our great grandparents, Carl and Ida Holm were of Danish descent. It is said that most people eat to live, but the Danes live to eat, and that the Danes are a gregarious, hardworking, frugal people who love their well-kept farms and gardens. This was true of the Holm family.

The Livermore Danish Lodge, Dannevang No. 7, for men, was organized in 1892. This was one of the Society Dania of California Lodges formed to preserve the language and customs of Denmark. It also provided assistance to fellow Danish immigrants. The Grand Lodge was formed to oversee the twenty-eight lodges throughout California and Nevada. Carl Holm was president of the Grand Lodge in 1908. In 1905 the Danebod, No. 16, was formed for women, and in 1911 the Dane’s came together to build the Dania Hall.

Through the generations, members of our family joined both the Dannevang and Danebod, and enjoyed events held at the Dania Hall, the annual Christmas party, the Frikadeller dinners (Frikadeller is a Danish meatball!), luncheons, and card parties through the years. The Dania Hall has been host to many Holm family events: my wedding reception, our grandfather Dick Holm’s eighty-fifth birthday party, Brett Rasmussen’s and Ione Holm’s funeral receptions were some of the family gatherings that took place at the hall. The Dane’s sold the hall a few years back, and it sits quietly waiting for new tenants, but Dannevang and Danebod continue to meet monthly at the Oddfellow’s Hall in downtown Livermore, built in 1874. - Nancy Calhoun Mueller

The Frikadeller Dinner was one of our grandfather’s favorite Dania Hall events. The Holm family enjoyed going to the Frikadeller Dinner every fall, hosted by the Dania Lodge. The meatballs were oblong and a bit flattened. They were served with gravy, creamed potatoes, and red cabbage. Frikadellar is a Danish dish with many variations. Traditionally, the meatballs are made with ground veal, pork, and beef. My recipe, found in The Holm Family Cookbook, does not use veal, but you could replace some of the ground meat with veal. The mixture is formed into balls and then pan-fried with oil or butter. I use olive oil. The gravy recipe makes three-quarters of a cup of gravy—you may want to double the recipe if you’d like more gravy. Some cooks use tomato juice instead of the milk or cream. And, you can use egg whites instead of whole eggs. - Susie Calhoun

Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs)

Meatballs

• 1½ pounds ground beef
• ½ pound ground pork
• 1 cup finely chopped red onion
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon cream or milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter

Gravy

• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon pan drippings from the meatballs
• ¾ cup cream or milk
• Salt and pepper

In a large bowl, combine the beef and pork. Add the chopped onion and mix well with your hands. Add the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, flour, eggs, and cream. Mix well. Shape into oblong egg-sized meatballs. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs. Brown the outsides, then continue cooking until they are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the skillet, drain on paper towels, and keep warm. In the same skillet, brown the flour in the drippings. Slowly add the cream, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens and becomes the consistency of gravy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 30 meatballs and ¾ cup gravy.