Swedish Immigrant Museum & Research Library

11/07/2024

Found on the Internet Archive, "A Caravan of Time: A Historical Booklet of Dayton, Iowa 1856-1956" with many bios of Swedish immigrants. Enjoy! 💛💙

https://archive.org/details/caravanoftimehis00unse/page/n11/mode/2up

11/04/2024

We are looking for community members of all heritages, ages and talents to participate in the Lucia Festivity of Light celebration.

Ladies ages 14+ are invited to join the Lucia procession and girls and boys ages 5-13 are invited to participate as Lucia maidens, star boys and gnomes. If you prefer behind-the-scenes action, we would love your help organizing a menu and preparing some treats for the reception.

Program participants should be available on Dec. 7 from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.

Sign up online by December 1 at https://forms.gle/gEMUyvPkoFh8KGkq8.

Contact Joni Stark Miller at (515) 351-7220 with any questions.

Photos by Hans Madsen, Fort Dodge Messenger.

10/16/2024

Save the date for the 20th anniversary of our St. Lucia Day Celebration on Dec. 7, 2024 at the Stratford Lutheran Church. Stay tuned for more details coming soon!

07/24/2024

Born on this day in 1849, Samuel Gust Carlson who was born in Nykil, Östergötland, Sweden. At the age of one, he with his parents and three older siblings, boarded the Swedish Brig Lulea on June 2, 1851 in Göteborg. He turned two years old while sailing to America, arriving in New York City on Sept. 17, 1851. The family lived for a short time at Rock Island, Illinois before settling in the heart of Swede Bend in 1852. It was at his childhood home on Aug. 28, 1856, that the Stratford Swedish Baptist Church was organized, his parents John Fredrick and Stina Maja (Magnusdotter) Carlson being among the founding members.

S.G. Carlson was a farmer by trade, raising large quantities of cattle and pigs that were often sold and shipped to Chicago by train. Later in life, he was an insurance agent for Swedish Mutual of Boone and also served on the city council.

He married Mary Sophia Eugenia Peterson (1852-1949) on June 8, 1872 and they were the parents of five sons, Charles, William, Clarence, Victor and Samuel. He died at his home south of Stratford on Aug. 29, 1914 and is interred at the South Marion Cemetery.

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07/11/2024

We invite you to come see us this Saturday, July 13 in the parade and at the museum between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. during Stratford on the Loose!

We have new artifacts and research materials that we’re excited to share with you, including two beautiful Swedish folk costumes from the Bjorklund family. Hans Bjorklund, a Swedish immigrant from Enviken parish in Dalarna, Sweden, took a trip back to Sweden in 1914 where he purchased the fabric and brought it to America where the costume was hand-made and worn by his daughter, Ethel Bjorklund. You’ll also get to see an adorable, authentic toddler Swedish folk costume that Ethel purchased in Sweden for her great-niece. Stop by and learn more about the Swedish heritage of Stratford and begin your own research into your family’s Swedish heritage.

12/24/2023

A little early Christmas present 🎅🎁 for all you Stratford history buffs. The Stratford Public Library has digitized Stratford newspapers from 1892-2006. All available for free on Advantage Archives.

https://stratford.advantage-preservation.com/

12/12/2023

Delightful, indeed. "New Lucia crowned, but maidens steal the show," by Hans Madsen for the Fort Dodge Messenger. 🎄🕯️

The 2023 Lucia Festival of Light at Stratford Lutheran Church is supposed to be all about crowning a new Lucia for the year. This year, the Lucia Maidens, Gracelynn Zenk, 5, of Stratford, and Alli Milleson, 4, of Boone, pretty much stole the show. The pair were tasked with carrying in the Julbok, a....

12/07/2023

Hello friends! Due to unforeseen circumstances we will be unable to host our museum open house during the Walk of Homes this Saturday. We will still be hosting the Lucia Festivity of Light at 2 p.m. at the Stratford Lutheran Church LCMC and don't miss all the other wonderful activities including the Walk of Homes and Cookie Walk!

Remember, you can always drop us a line at [email protected] if you'd like to pop in for a visit and we'll make it happen! Happy holidays to you all.

12/02/2023

Lussekatter are a seasonal, sweet bread traditionally enjoyed during Advent and St. Lucia Day in Sweden. Learn more about this tradition and enjoy a sample at this year's Lucia Festivity of Light on Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. at the Stratford Lutheran Church LCMC.

Lussekatter are traditional Swedish Christmas buns usually made on 13th of December for St. Lucia day. Enriched with butter and sugar, and flavoured with saf...

11/29/2023

The Stratford community invites you to participate in the Wreaths Across America Ceremony at 2:30 p.m., Dec. 16 at the Shakespeare Community Center. Wreaths will be placed at the gravesites of veterans at South Marion and Oakwood cemeteries.

11/27/2023

Join our cast of characters! Anyone ages 5 and up are welcome to participate in the procession.

Lead the procession as a Lucia candidate or don a white dress and sparkle crown as a handmaiden (‘tärnor’). Star boys (‘stjärngossar’), dressed in white, wear tall cone hats with gold stars or maybe you prefer to be dressed as a Christmas elf ('tomtenissar').

Sign up at swedebend.com or contact Joni Stark Miller at (515) 351-7220.