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Hans Langseth portrait

 Collection
Identifier: Photo Folio 13

Scope and Content

The Hans Langseth Photograph Collection holds a 34 x 28 cm. photograph on a cardboard mount, of Mr. Langseth seated in a chair with his long beard draped over his shoulder. The photograph was taken by Nils C. Jorgenson, of Cando, N.D. There is also a smaller copy print of the same image in the folder.

Dates

  • circa 1912

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives

Copyrights

Photograph in the public domain.

Biography

Hans Langseth is famous for his extraordinarily long beard. At age 19, he began growing a beard as part of a contest, and decided to continue to grow it after the contest was finished. He traveled around the United States as part of a freak show showing off his beard in later life. When he died, his beard measured 17.5 feet. It was donated to the Department of Anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution in 1967.



Hans Nilson Langseth was born in Eidsvoll on July 14, 1846, and immigrated to the United States in 1867. He was married to Anna Berntsen on August 26, 1870 in St. Ansgar, Iowa. Together they had six children on their farm near Kensett, Iowa. His wife died in 1891. Sometime between 1895 and 1900 he moved to a farm in Elkton Township, Clay County, Minnesota. By 1910 he had moved to a farm in Sec. 3, Antelope Township, Richland County, North Dakota. Mr. Langseth died on November 10, 1927, in Wyndmere, North Dakota. He is buried in Elk Creek Church Cemetery in Kensett, Iowa.

Extent

2 Photographic Prints (2 photographic prints)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Norwegian-American and North Dakotan, who held the record for the world's longest beard.

Provenance

Donated by Mrs. James A. Trudell in 1955 (Acc. 349).

Property rights

The NDSU Archives owns the property rights to this collection.
Title
Finding Aid to the Hans Langseth portrait
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository

Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States