Elk Horn to expand its Danish history and geneaology center

Iowans of Danish heritage will soon find it easier to trace their roots. The Danish Immigrant Museum in the western Iowa town of Elk Horn is expanding its family history and genealogy center. Museum boardmember Dennis Andersen is renovating a downtown building and donating it to the organization to house the expanded center. Museum director Rick Burns says Andersen began renovating the building without letting anyone know what it would become. That raised a lot of questions, that were eventually answered after Burns had his fun in letting everyone guess what was going on.Burns says some 10 to 13-thousand people visit the museum each year — and many stop in to check on their past.Burns says they have information on over one thousand family, church and personal histories that’ll eventually be moved into the new center.Burn says the new center should be open by the end of this year.