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American Swedish Historical Museum Colony to Community: The Story of New Sweden

The American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia presents a special temporary exhibit about the New Sweden colony now on display at the Swedish American Museum. Open through Jan. 30, 2011.

This exhibit titled Colony to Community: the Story of New Sweden is about the Swedish and Finnish immigrants who came to the Delaware Valley in 1638 to create a colony serving as a fur and tobacco trading post.

Delaware Valley, in Wilimington, Del., was a place of peaceful Native American trading but pressure from the Dutch for these New Sweden colonists. The Dutch gained control of the colony in 1655, but Swedes and Finns maintained a presence in the community, including the arrival of Swedish ministers and artists influencing the New World over the next century.

This exhibit is curated by Carrie Hogan of the American Swedish Historical Museum, in conjunction with the Delaware Historical Society and the New Jersey State Museum.

Image: The American Swedish Historical Museum

The Museum is located at 5211 N. Clark St. in Andersonville, a traditionally Swedish area of Chicago’s north side. The entire community welcomes Swedish Americans and celebrates the Swedish holidays. Merchants and residents turn out for the very traditional Midsummer, Lucia and Christmas celebrations. Tourists visit the area continually to sample Swedish food, buy gifts, and visit the Museum Center.

www.swedishamericanmuseum.org

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