Norse started as a Norwegian settlement, arriving in 1845 and being swept away by the malaria epidemic in nearby Kaufman and Henderson counties in 1853.

The first settlers included families surnamed Questad, Ringness, and Grimland, settling in the area that next year.

It was a nonprofit, shared-risk organization that was so successful that its directors were forced to limit membership to families living within 20 miles of the community.

Norse's decline began when paved roads were built in the community, causing economic growth in other cities nearby.

[3] One of the stores in the community was owned and operated by Thomas Theodore Colwick, who sold perfume, toiletries, and medicines.