Swedish emigration to the New World thrives in Vaxjo

Replica of the Kalmar Nyckel which transported thousands of
Swedish emigrants to North America (wikipedia.org)

VAXJO, SWEDEN — Travel trivia question: Which city had the largest Swedish population outside of Stockholm at the turn of the 20th century?

Immigration has been a much discussed global topic in recent years, but the Scandinavian country of Sweden has taken emigration to a new level.

House of the Emigrants in
Vaxjo  (wikipedia.org)

Under the leadership of Gunnar Helen, the newly elected governor of Kronoberg, the Swedish Emigrant Institute opened on, of all dates, September 11, 1965.

Thanks to Helen's vision and the enthusiastic support of Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg, who spent 12 years writing a trilogy about the great Swedish migration between 1843 and 1930, the Swedish Emigrant Institute is one of the finest genealogical research facilities in the world.

Author Vilhelm Moberg
(wikipedia.org)

Situated in the town of Vaxjo in the province of Smaland, the Institute features thousands upon thousands of materials about Swedish emigration and life abroad during the 150 year exodus from the country. Only Ireland and Norway had larger migratory populations than Sweden.

Today, people of Swedish descent from all over the world have perhaps the best genealogical resource on the planet for tracing their family heritage.

The migration began in Smaland in 1683  (wikipedia. com)

The seeds of the grand migration began in the Smaland region as early as 1638 when Swedish settlers boarded an armed Dutch-built merchant ship called the Kalmar Nyckel (Key of Kalmar) that became famous for carrying Swedes to North America. It was there that they established the colony of New Sweden.

Sailing to America with hope and promises of a new life
(wikipedia.org)

It would be more than 200 years later before one of the greatest transoceanic emigrations in European history brought over 1.2 million Swedes to North America. By 1900 one out of every six Swedish-born people lived in the United States.

Considering that only 40 Swedes lived in Chicago in 1848, the rapid growth in population is a dramatic example of the size of the migration that occurred before the turn of the century. Many of the earliest settlers followed what became known as "The Dream of America" to work on the Illinois & Michigan Canal.

By 1870 the Swedish settlement in Chicago had been divided into three distinct ethnic enclaves. The largest, situated north of the Chicago River, was known as Swede Town.

Pukeberg in Vaxjo is a popular tourist destination today
(wikipedia.com)

Today, the House of the Emigrants in Vaxjo is the best resource in Sweden to locate materials and information about the emigration and it history. It also provides superb records for anyone of Swedish heritage to track their roots.

As a museum, the Dream of America, the oldest permanent exhibition, is divided into five "themes." The theme called "The Background" looks at life in the country during a period of famine and industrialization during the late 19th and early 20th centuries

Vaxjo Cathedral (wikipedia.org)

Other themes are called "The Decision" focusing upon making the choice to leave, "The Voyage" which covers life aboard ship, "Dream & Reality" looks at life in North America and Minnesota and "The Cultural Frontier" which highlights Bishop Hill in northern Illinois, Swedish American church life and the fine arts.

A replica of Vilhelm Moberg's house and the "Writer's Studio" are also major parts of the exhibition experience. A cutaway view of Moberg's room features the desk at which he completed his 12-year journey into one Sweden's most remarkable historical chapters in July of 1959.

Artist's rendering of the Kalmar Nyckel sailing to the New World
(wikipedia.org)

Resting on the desk is Moberg's original manuscript.

Known as "The Footsteps of the Emigrants," one of the lesser known activities for visitor's is the ability to travel the backroads and countryside trails the emigrants followed en route to boarding the ship to their "brave new world."

Moberg addresses the nation
(wikipedia.org)

After 1880, the Swedish population exploded in Chicago with thousands of immigrants being attracted to the expanding economy as well as a climate with which they were already familiar at home.

Among the main collections in the Swedish Emigrant Institute, and certainly a primary factor in why it is such an invaluable resource for people of Swedish heritage, are: Swedish parish records; passport journals; summary census reports from various parish offices; Swedish passenger lists; Swedish American church archives; emigrant organizational archives such as the Swedish Ladies Society in New York, the Orders of Vikings, Svithiod, and Vasa which had lodges in most sizable Swedish settlements and mutual aid societies; America letters and diaries; and printed source materials dealing with emigration and Swedish pioneer settlers.

Molten glass transforms to crystal beauty in Smaland
(wikipedia.com)

In addition to the House of the Emigrants, Smaland is located in the heart of Sweden's glass district known as the "Kingdom of Crystal." So when family ties begin to overwhelm you, it is easy to take a break to visit Kosta Boda, Orrefors or any one of several other small family operated glass blowers.

As for the answer to the trivia question; if you answered Chicago you'd be right on the money. After all it took the Swedes less time to get to Chicago than it did for the Cubs to win the World Series