VÄLKOMMEN TO SWEDISH AMERICANA!
SwedishAmericana is a Swedish American educational resource which by its very contents should challenge and encourage Swedish Americans to continue their endeavors to restore, preserve and promote their Swedish American histories and cultures found in their small communities and cities, thus providing a greater and clearer picture of the American Swedish tapestry for future Swedish American generations and for the world-at-large.
SwedishAmericana consists of a compiled partial list of Swedish American institutions, organizations, and establishments found in America today. This was created in 2015. This listing has become the central focus of the website as found in the next section titled “Swedish American Entities,” as it delivers a smorgasbord of Swedish activities found in the United States to browse through for both the established Swedish American and for the Swedish immigrant of today.
Also included is a replacement section, in August of 2024, for the “Swedish American Stories” with "Finding Swedish Studies." Following this section are these sections: “Swedish News,” “Sweden,” "Contact" and “Other Settlements & Cities.”
The "HIGHLIGHTING" of several key Swedish American cities and small communities appear at the last main section with “Other Settlements & Cities,” while more is said about Lindsborg, Kansas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; and San Francisco, California, under 4 of the main sections.
For more information on the back story for creating SwedishAmericana, go HERE.
May SwedishAmericana expand your knowledge of the early Swedish influence in America and of its influence today; and may it be a useful tool, bringing you Swedish American joy while your endeavors "shine a light" on Swedish America.
Fran Cochran
With Swedish Sohlberg family heritage from McPherson and Lindsborg, Kansas, since 1880 and 1904 respectively
Research writer website designer of SwedishAmericana and Swedes:TheWayTheyWere.
August 7, 2024, Update
SwedishAmericana consists of a compiled partial list of Swedish American institutions, organizations, and establishments found in America today. This was created in 2015. This listing has become the central focus of the website as found in the next section titled “Swedish American Entities,” as it delivers a smorgasbord of Swedish activities found in the United States to browse through for both the established Swedish American and for the Swedish immigrant of today.
Also included is a replacement section, in August of 2024, for the “Swedish American Stories” with "Finding Swedish Studies." Following this section are these sections: “Swedish News,” “Sweden,” "Contact" and “Other Settlements & Cities.”
The "HIGHLIGHTING" of several key Swedish American cities and small communities appear at the last main section with “Other Settlements & Cities,” while more is said about Lindsborg, Kansas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; and San Francisco, California, under 4 of the main sections.
For more information on the back story for creating SwedishAmericana, go HERE.
May SwedishAmericana expand your knowledge of the early Swedish influence in America and of its influence today; and may it be a useful tool, bringing you Swedish American joy while your endeavors "shine a light" on Swedish America.
Fran Cochran
With Swedish Sohlberg family heritage from McPherson and Lindsborg, Kansas, since 1880 and 1904 respectively
Research writer website designer of SwedishAmericana and Swedes:TheWayTheyWere.
August 7, 2024, Update
Go HERE to "Swedish American Entities"
(and to a Philadelphia Swedish American story)
(and to a Philadelphia Swedish American story)
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" H I G H L I G H T I N G "
Lindsborg
(a Swedish American story)
In the midst of the beautiful Smoky Valley located on the Central Plains of Kansas was established a little Swedish American settlement known as Lindsborg in 1869 by a small group of pietistic Christian immigrants from the Värmland region of Sweden who were led there by twenty-eight-year-old Pastor Olof Olsson, who in that same year would found the Lindsborg Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Bethany Church.
In 1881, the Bethany Lutheran Academy, today's Bethany College, was founded by twenty-four-year-old Swedish American Rev. Carl Aaron Swensson; and, with his wife Alma Christina Lind, in 1882, they would commence the annual (ongoing) Easter performance of the Messiah. This sacred music was destined to attract thousands of patrons, international opera stars and musicians to Lindsborg. To that was added an 'art movement' begun by Swedish artists, the art professors of Bethany College including Sweden's renown Artist Anders Zorn's student Sven Birger Sandzén, which would create a unique Swedish American cultural mecca.
In 2019 Lindsborg celebrated its 150th Founding Anniversary along with its first church, Bethany Lutheran Church, which was also celebrating its founding of 1869. There, their faithful Swedish American descendants, the churches, the College, the schools, and others continue to carry on the Swedish legacy and traditions so well established in the early years by Swedes with surnames like Anderson, Bergin, Brase, Carlson, Olsson/Deere, Dahlsten, Elmquist, Esping, Grafstrom, Gröndal, Jaderborg, Johnson, Larson, Lindquist, Lotave, Lungstrom, Malm, Nelson, Olson, Olsson, Palmquist, Peterson, Pihlblad, Sandzén, Soderstrom, Sundstrom, Swenson, Swensson, Thorsen, Thorstenberg, and Udden; and, also, by non-Swedes with surnames like Abercrombie and Shields; and much later Holwerda.
Due to the endeavors of former Lindsborg Mayor Swede Don Anderson, a sister city to the Swedish Värmland city of Munkfors was established in 1991. This brought together significantly Lindsborg's Värmland Swedish roots with today's modern Värmland, Sweden.
As the Bethany College Swedish and Swedish American leaders and professors' imperative from those early years was "Framåt" for "Forward," so, too, have we heard decades later familiar and confident words in the lagom manner like in 2012 from Mayor Don Anderson then as these, "Lindsborg has found balance between the past and the future, yet is always striving forward and never forgetting where we began." **
For A Story of the Founding of Lindsborg, 1869, go HERE.
For "LINDSBORG'S 150TH CELEBRATION during 2019 Hyllningsfest see the photographs below. This biennial Swedish pioneer festival was originally organized by Dutchman Dr. William Howerda in 1941.
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In 1881, the Bethany Lutheran Academy, today's Bethany College, was founded by twenty-four-year-old Swedish American Rev. Carl Aaron Swensson; and, with his wife Alma Christina Lind, in 1882, they would commence the annual (ongoing) Easter performance of the Messiah. This sacred music was destined to attract thousands of patrons, international opera stars and musicians to Lindsborg. To that was added an 'art movement' begun by Swedish artists, the art professors of Bethany College including Sweden's renown Artist Anders Zorn's student Sven Birger Sandzén, which would create a unique Swedish American cultural mecca.
In 2019 Lindsborg celebrated its 150th Founding Anniversary along with its first church, Bethany Lutheran Church, which was also celebrating its founding of 1869. There, their faithful Swedish American descendants, the churches, the College, the schools, and others continue to carry on the Swedish legacy and traditions so well established in the early years by Swedes with surnames like Anderson, Bergin, Brase, Carlson, Olsson/Deere, Dahlsten, Elmquist, Esping, Grafstrom, Gröndal, Jaderborg, Johnson, Larson, Lindquist, Lotave, Lungstrom, Malm, Nelson, Olson, Olsson, Palmquist, Peterson, Pihlblad, Sandzén, Soderstrom, Sundstrom, Swenson, Swensson, Thorsen, Thorstenberg, and Udden; and, also, by non-Swedes with surnames like Abercrombie and Shields; and much later Holwerda.
Due to the endeavors of former Lindsborg Mayor Swede Don Anderson, a sister city to the Swedish Värmland city of Munkfors was established in 1991. This brought together significantly Lindsborg's Värmland Swedish roots with today's modern Värmland, Sweden.
As the Bethany College Swedish and Swedish American leaders and professors' imperative from those early years was "Framåt" for "Forward," so, too, have we heard decades later familiar and confident words in the lagom manner like in 2012 from Mayor Don Anderson then as these, "Lindsborg has found balance between the past and the future, yet is always striving forward and never forgetting where we began." **
For A Story of the Founding of Lindsborg, 1869, go HERE.
For "LINDSBORG'S 150TH CELEBRATION during 2019 Hyllningsfest see the photographs below. This biennial Swedish pioneer festival was originally organized by Dutchman Dr. William Howerda in 1941.
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Endearing Photographs of the 2019 Hyllningsfest
"Courtesy of the Lindsborg Convention and Visitors Bureau"
"The Swedish Folk Costume Project"
The Lindsborg Convention and Visitors Bureau Director and the 2019 Svensk Hyllningsfest Queen and King
Memorializing Lindsborg's Swedish Immigrants
is
Lindsborg's Järnkors
(Lindsborg's Iron Cross or Life Tree).
is
Lindsborg's Järnkors
(Lindsborg's Iron Cross or Life Tree).
"When we speak of it in English, we say 'singing leaves.' " -- Alf Brorson
Used in place of headstones, this Scandinavian tradition was very common in the 18th and 19th centuries.
It was used in Värmland, Sweden, home to many Lindsborg Swedish immigrants.
The "singing leaves" of Lindsborg was forged from iron and designed by Lindsborg local artist and blacksmith Brian Holdsworth.
Used in place of headstones, this Scandinavian tradition was very common in the 18th and 19th centuries.
It was used in Värmland, Sweden, home to many Lindsborg Swedish immigrants.
The "singing leaves" of Lindsborg was forged from iron and designed by Lindsborg local artist and blacksmith Brian Holdsworth.
END OF
Endearing Photographs of the Festivities
"Courtesy of the Lindsborg Convention and Visitors Bureau"
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Endearing Photographs of the Festivities
"Courtesy of the Lindsborg Convention and Visitors Bureau"
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2017 Svensk Hyllningsfest -- Courtesy of Emily Writer of Kansas University
Lindsborg: "Where Culture and Agriculture Meet"
Quote from Howard Lincoln in "The Spur" -- Source: "Pioneer Swedish-American Culture in Central Kansas" by Ruth Billdt, 1965.
Swedish Folk Art by Lindsborg's Shirley Malm of the 2009 Lindsborg "Old Iron Bridge" over the Smoky River
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go below to
Lindsborg's
" A Destination for all Seasons "
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Narrated in 2012 by former Mayor Don Anderson, 1989-2001
go below to
Lindsborg's
" A Destination for all Seasons "
===================================================================================
Narrated in 2012 by former Mayor Don Anderson, 1989-2001
Bethany Lutheran Church
Founded August 19, 1869
Celebrating 150 Years
2019
For an account on the founding of Bethany Lutheran Church in 1869 by Dr. Emory K. Lindquist, go HERE.
Church Founder Pastor Olof Olsson
Source: Bethany College "Forget-Me-Not" annual 1902
Värmland Swedish immigration party leader to settle in Lindsborg and founder of the Bethany Lutheran Church in 1869. Recognized as the Founder of Lindsborg but in actuality the Chicago-based Swedish Agricultural Land Company founded the town and gave it the name of Lindsborg on February 20, 1869. Pastor Olsson arrived on June 27, 1869.
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For Lindsborg's "14" -- Go HERE to Bethany College Swedish Knights & Honored Ladies
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For Lindsborg's "14" -- Go HERE to Bethany College Swedish Knights & Honored Ladies
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Remnants of Lindsborg's Perishing Way of Swedish American Life
Remnants of Lindsborg's Perishing Way of Swedish American Life
1882 Swedish Bethany College Academy Building
- This was Bethany College's most significant building. For the story, go HERE.
Today, it is identified as Lindsborg's "First School House" -- the Bethany Academy sign was removed in 2013.
Moved from the Bethany College Campus in 1969 to the McPherson County Old Mill Museum Heritage Park.
For the 1882 Swedish science professor curators' Bethany College Museum
Pioneer Life, Natural History, and Taxidermy Collections since 1966, go Here.
The Lindsborg McPherson County Old Mill Museum housing Bethany College collections since 1966.
For the 1904 Swedish Pavilion gift from Sweden to Lindsborg and Bethany College, go HERE.
For early 20th century photographs of Bethany College, start HERE.
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** Source: Fourth Swedish American Bethany College President Emory Lindquist's 1975, "Bethany in Kansas, the history of a college"
** Source: Fourth Swedish American Bethany College President Emory Lindquist's 1975, "Bethany in Kansas, the history of a college"
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SwedishAmericana
~ restoring, preserving and promoting Swedish American histories & cultures ~
~ sharing the Swedish American tapestry with all ~
All color photography throughout SwedishAmericana is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since 2015 www.swedishamericana.org All rights reserved.
SwedishAmericana
~ restoring, preserving and promoting Swedish American histories & cultures ~
~ sharing the Swedish American tapestry with all ~
All color photography throughout SwedishAmericana is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since 2015 www.swedishamericana.org All rights reserved.
