The Statue is located on the seaside in Moss, Norway and her twinsister by the Atlantic coast in Virginia Beach, U.S.A., as a reminder of a tradic boataccident in 1891, an also as a symbol of the friendship between the two cities.

     "DICTATOR`S WRECKAGE

The bark " Dictator",registered in Moss, was in march 1891 on her way from Pensacola in Florida bound for England with a cargo of timber.  Captain Jørgensen had a crew of 14, and also was his wife and their 4 year old son aboard.  When they rounded the south coast of Florida they met a gale which by Bahamas increased to an hurricane. The high waves smashed two of the lifeboats and swept them over board.  The ship was leaking inn water, the pumps was damaged, the water flowing in to the ship.  Jørgensen decided to seek shelter in Hampon Roads in Virginia to enable him to repare the ship.  The weather did so that if have been impossible to ascertain the position for many days, and suddenly when they approacing the coast the ship hit an sandbar 370 yards from land by the coast of Virginia Beach.  This happend on the morning of Good Friday March 27.

Two local U.S. Life Savings Stations ( early U.S. Coast Guard ) had received a message of a ship in distress  and went out to see to try to save ship and crew.  The ship was broken down in the big sea, nine of the crew and captain Jørgensen was saved. Mrs. Jørgensen, the son Carl and five of the crew was lost in to the sea, they where buried in Norfolk on 31st. of March.

    THE FIGUREHEAD

The day after they found the magnificent figurehead from the bark "Dictator" found on the shore together with all the wreckage.  It was placed on the oceanfront with it`s facing the sea, as a memorial for the shipwreck and those who perished.  This figurehead became a belowed landmark in Virginia Beach.  It stod for 62 years untill it was destroyed in the Hurricane " Barbara " in 1953, which caused heavy damage in Virginia.

The people of Virginia Beach did not forget their " Norwegian Lady " and after some time they began the work to replace it.  Erik Bye, well known from popular seamen`s programs  in the Norwegian Broadcast Corporation, took an interest in the story and together with "The Jubilee Fund of 1920 for the Beutifying of Moss city " and " The Society for the Welfare of the city of Moss " and cooperation Mayor Emil Andersen, together with shipping and industries funding was raised and the sculptor Ørnulf Bask was commisioned for the work.  It was given a copy of the sculpture to the town of Moss and on the 22nd. of September 1962 the two " Lady`s " was unveilingcould take place in Virginia Beach and Moss simultaneously.   It have been moved once in Moss and is now standing on the shoreline facing the sea and  greeting her twinsister in Virginia Beach.

The Norwegian Lady statue became a solid bond between Virginia Beach and Moss. Every year since 1962.

Virginia Beach and Moss have been sistercities since 1974 for the purpose of creating greater mutual understanding between the people of Moss and Virginia Beach.

   Moss and District Tourist Board / Text  Bjarne Elvsås 1991.