Swedish American Stories
Passing our Swedish legacies on to our children!
If you wish to share your Swedish or Swedish American story or piece of information via websites, YouTube or PDF files, there is a place for it here. Just go to "Contact" and make your request.
Below are examples of listings.
Below are examples of listings.
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ILLINOIS
Moline
Lindsborg
MINNESOTA
Waconia
Drexel Hill
Moline
- For information on Lennart Setterdahl, profound comprehensive Swedish American Researcher, go HERE.
- For information on Lilly Setterdahl, prolific and celebrated Swedish American author, go HERE.
- For information on Chicago Swedes, They Spoke from the Heart by Lilly Setterdahl, go HERE.
Lindsborg
- 1953 Svensk Hyllningsfest-Lindsborg, Kansas, USA by organizer of event William Howerda MD -- on YouTube published in 2014 by Chris Abercrombie. Go HERE.
- Malcolm Esping, Kansas Folk Art, the Swedish Crown Designer by Dr. Marlysue Esping Holmquist. Go HERE.
- Grace, Faith, and the Power of Singing: The Alma Christina Lind Swensson Story, by Karen A. Humphrey. Go HERE.
- B. G. Gröndal, Photographer, on YouTube published by Chris Abercrombie in 2009. Go HERE.
- He Gave God Glory by Bror Carlsson of Sweden on Lindsborg's Pastor Olof Olsson. Go HERE.
- A History of Swedish Craft Work at Bethany on 1900 Sloyd Instructor Amalia Rabenius by Dr. Marlysue Esping Holmquist. Go HERE.
- Story of the Old Spoon (a Swedish Immigration story of 1854) by Lydia Sohlberg Deere in 1937. Go HERE.
- Swedes: TheWayTheyWere website (on "early" Lindsborg and Bethany College) by Fran Cochran, 2019, nearly finished. Go HERE.
MINNESOTA
Waconia
- Andrew Peterson Society website: HERE
Drexel Hill
- For information on Drexel Hill Lower Swedish Cabin, go HERE to the YouTube of 2010 published by a Pennsylvania History Buff.
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" H I G H L I G H T I N G "
Chicago
(a Swedish American story)
" H I G H L I G H T I N G "
Chicago
(a Swedish American story)
With Swedish roots dating back to the 19th century, Chicago was founded in the late 1780s by Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. In 1848 statistics show that 40 Swedes lived in Chicago; in 1860 that increased to 816; in 1870 it reached 6,154. In the 1880s, Chicago was noted as having the largest Swedish enclave in America. The 1900 census showed that the number of Swedish born citizens in Chicago exceeded the population of Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city, so at that particular time Chicago had become the "Second City" of Sweden! *
Chicago's Swedish American Museum was opened by His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden, during the United States Bicentennial Year of 1976. And with the opening, the dream of "preserving Swedish American heritage in Chicago" by Swedish immigrant Kurt Mathiasson (1929-2000), Andersonville leader and original organizer of the Andersonville Midsommarfest, had been realized, and it continues today.
The Swedish American Museum is located in the very heart of Andersonville, the "Little Sweden" of Chicago. Its mission is stated as follows: "Through its arts and educational programs and its permanent collection, the Swedish American Museum interprets the immigrant experience for children and adults and promotes an appreciation of contemporary Swedish-American culture." **
To read about "Lost Communities of Chicago - Swede Town Neighborhood," go HERE.
Immigrant Wall
Chicago's Swedish American Museum was opened by His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden, during the United States Bicentennial Year of 1976. And with the opening, the dream of "preserving Swedish American heritage in Chicago" by Swedish immigrant Kurt Mathiasson (1929-2000), Andersonville leader and original organizer of the Andersonville Midsommarfest, had been realized, and it continues today.
The Swedish American Museum is located in the very heart of Andersonville, the "Little Sweden" of Chicago. Its mission is stated as follows: "Through its arts and educational programs and its permanent collection, the Swedish American Museum interprets the immigrant experience for children and adults and promotes an appreciation of contemporary Swedish-American culture." **
To read about "Lost Communities of Chicago - Swede Town Neighborhood," go HERE.
Immigrant Wall
Courtesy of the Swedish American Museum, Chicago
In continuing the dream of Kurt Mathiasson and to honor and recognize him, the Swedish American Museum established "The Kurt Mathiasson Heritage Society." It has also established the "Immigrant Wall" to honor and recognize the pioneer Swedes immigrating to America through Chicago. This "Immigrant Wall" offers Swedish American descendants the opportunity of having their loved ones names and years of immigration inscribed on a brass plaque adhered to a brick and placed in this special wall reflecting the Chicago story of Swedish immigration to America.
To learn more about the Swedish American Museum, the Kurt Mathiasson Heritage Society and the Immigrant Wall, go HERE.
To learn more about the Swedish American Museum, the Kurt Mathiasson Heritage Society and the Immigrant Wall, go HERE.
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These photos were taken in 2010 during "Chicago's North Park University Swedish American Conference," November 5 & 6, on Augustana and Covenant ‘Contact, Conflict and Confluence, 1860-2010’ sponsored by the Swedish American Historical Society.
2010 Chicago's Andersonville on Clark Street
For a fun story of this Swedish Water Tower needing a big repair job in 2014, go HERE.
Chicago's Andersonville's Swedish Dala Horse
The owner and proprietor of the SVEA Restaurant seen in the slide to come was Kurt Mathiasson.
* Sources: -- Swedish American Museum website; Anita Olson Gustafson, the Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago; Leif Carlsson, Kulturparken Smålan of Utvandrarnas Hus,"Swedes in American Cities"
** Swedish American Museum website Mission Statement.
** Swedish American Museum website Mission Statement.
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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 to 2023 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 to 2023 www.swedishamericana.org All rights reserved.
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