The village of Hofsós, one of the oldest trading centers in Iceland, was as much affected as the rest of the country by the “dire years” of the late 19th century. By the end of the 20th century the village had fallen into decline and was nearly desolate. As a result of years of neglect, the buildings in the old part of the village surrounding the river mouth and harbour, were on the verge of collapse. In 1990, Valgeir Thorvaldsson began work on restoring the old village center with the aim of preserving these treasures of traditional architecture and developing Hofsós into a cultural attraction.
It is appropriate for the Icelandic Emigration Center to be located in Hofsós, as the first white settler in America, Thorfinnur Karlsefni, came from the area near Hofsós. It is believed that Karlsefni may have set out to sea from this area when he sailed to America, eventually landing in Vinland (now Newfoundland). He and his wife Guðríður Thorbjarnardóttir established a home in Vinland between the years 1004 and 1006 during which time they had a son, Snorri Thorfinnsson, who was the first European to be born of immigrant parents in North America. After they returned to Iceland they settled at Glaumbær, nearby Hofsós.
Reference: http://en.hofsos.is/?c=webpage&id=60&lid=54&option=links