Rølvaag was born in Norway in 1876, and emigrated to the United States in 1896, settling in South Dakota.

Rølvaag's famous trilogy—Giants in the Earth (1927), Peder Victorious (1928), and Their Father's God (1931)—assesses the adjustments immigrant farmers had to make to prosper in the American Midwest.

[2][3][5] The house stands on the west side of Manitou Street, between Greenvale and Summit Avenues, just east of the St. Olaf College campus.

The eaves of the main roof and dormers are extended, with exposed rafter ends and large brackets in the Craftsman style.

Some of the interior finishes have been preserved, including oak trim in the public spaces downstairs.