The Smoky Valley Historical Association aka SVHA celebrated its 100th founding year in 2019!
"The Other Swedes"
Honoring Them and Remembering Them
Honoring Them and Remembering Them
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1919 "Lindsborg Historical Society" leaders
~ Their Smoky Hills, Coronado Heights, projects and Lydia's photographs
~ the 1926 SMHS ~ the 1963 SVHA
In the early years, the Smoky Hills located 3.8 miles northwest of Lindsborg in McPherson County had also been referred to as the "Spanish Buttes," the "Smoky Valley Buttes," the "Smoky Valley Bluffs," the "Smoky Hill Bluffs" and perhaps other names as well. However, these Smoky Hills are not to be confused with those in Saline County 12 miles north of Lindsborg near Smolan, Kansas, which are part of the title of the 1994 book Pioneer Cross, Swedish Settlements Along the Smoky Hill Bluffs by Mr. Thomas N. Holmquist.
For this piece of writing, the hills nearest Lindsborg shall be referred to as the Smoky Hills. Since 1919, their official name became "Coronado Heights," actually for the highest hill, Smoky Hill, of these hills. Smoky Hill then, Coronado Heights now, rises 300 feet above the Smoky Valley floor. *
Before the Swedes entered the Smoky Valley, it belonged to the Native American territory of the Kaw Nation tribe and was first explored by European visitors from Spain, namely the famous Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and about thirty of his men in July of 1541. This was before the Mayflower landed in Massachusetts in 1620 and the Swedes in Pennsylvania in 1638. Coronado's exploration of Kansas for the Cities of Cíbola, the mythical Seven Cities of Gold, Quivira, as he coined the word, has been widely reported by historians through the centuries. Most authorities agree that the location of Quivira is to be in central Kansas near present-day Lyons extending northeast to Salina.* Quivira Wikipedia
Local Smoky Valley authors of the 20th and 21st centuries also reported this such as Lindsborg-born historian and educator Mr. Bill Carlson (1930-2008) in his 2010 Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now. He was a grandson of Swedish Magnus Carlson and his bride Maria, who entered the Valley in 1867 two years before the two colonies of Swedes did. He states in his book on page 56 that "The land including this highest hill was initially secured by the local Historical Society, part by purchase, and part by long-time lease, and now serves as a public park maintained by the Smoky Valley Historical Association [the former Lindsborg Historical Society]. In turn, the high hill was officially named Coronado Heights" [Emil O. Deere witnessed that naming.]**
Thus it was the highest hill of these Smoky Hills which brought about the formation of the "Lindsborg Historical Society" in 1919.
For this piece of writing, the hills nearest Lindsborg shall be referred to as the Smoky Hills. Since 1919, their official name became "Coronado Heights," actually for the highest hill, Smoky Hill, of these hills. Smoky Hill then, Coronado Heights now, rises 300 feet above the Smoky Valley floor. *
Before the Swedes entered the Smoky Valley, it belonged to the Native American territory of the Kaw Nation tribe and was first explored by European visitors from Spain, namely the famous Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and about thirty of his men in July of 1541. This was before the Mayflower landed in Massachusetts in 1620 and the Swedes in Pennsylvania in 1638. Coronado's exploration of Kansas for the Cities of Cíbola, the mythical Seven Cities of Gold, Quivira, as he coined the word, has been widely reported by historians through the centuries. Most authorities agree that the location of Quivira is to be in central Kansas near present-day Lyons extending northeast to Salina.* Quivira Wikipedia
Local Smoky Valley authors of the 20th and 21st centuries also reported this such as Lindsborg-born historian and educator Mr. Bill Carlson (1930-2008) in his 2010 Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now. He was a grandson of Swedish Magnus Carlson and his bride Maria, who entered the Valley in 1867 two years before the two colonies of Swedes did. He states in his book on page 56 that "The land including this highest hill was initially secured by the local Historical Society, part by purchase, and part by long-time lease, and now serves as a public park maintained by the Smoky Valley Historical Association [the former Lindsborg Historical Society]. In turn, the high hill was officially named Coronado Heights" [Emil O. Deere witnessed that naming.]**
Thus it was the highest hill of these Smoky Hills which brought about the formation of the "Lindsborg Historical Society" in 1919.
Well regarded research writer, historian, author and Smoky Valley Historical Association secretary, Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg (1918-2016) wrote three articles on the subject of the Lindsborg Historical Society and Coronado Heights that first appeared in the Lindsborg News Record. They eventually found their way into her historical Lindsborg anthology of small books with the titles of "Coronado," "Coronado, Et. Al." "Coronado Lookout," and "The Olsson Trail."
Summarizing from what I have read, here are some of the facts that I gleaned from Mrs. Jaderborgs writings.
of her 1965 "Lindsborg On Record" is her "Coronado;" from 1967 "Living in Lindsborg and Other Possibilities" is her "The Olsson Trail;" from 1973 "Talk About Lindsborg" is her "Coronado Lookout;" and from 1976 "Why Lindsborg" is her "Coronado, Et Al." The one article on "The Olsson Trail" can be found in the next section, titled "The Society's formation and requesting Bethany College to begin a historical museum ~ An account by Mrs. Jaderborg.
Below are the facts of these topics from Mrs. Jaderborg's research writing and also from Bethany College Biology Professor Dr. Leon Lungstrom (1915-2000). These are presented in summary form.
Summarizing from what I have read, here are some of the facts that I gleaned from Mrs. Jaderborgs writings.
of her 1965 "Lindsborg On Record" is her "Coronado;" from 1967 "Living in Lindsborg and Other Possibilities" is her "The Olsson Trail;" from 1973 "Talk About Lindsborg" is her "Coronado Lookout;" and from 1976 "Why Lindsborg" is her "Coronado, Et Al." The one article on "The Olsson Trail" can be found in the next section, titled "The Society's formation and requesting Bethany College to begin a historical museum ~ An account by Mrs. Jaderborg.
Below are the facts of these topics from Mrs. Jaderborg's research writing and also from Bethany College Biology Professor Dr. Leon Lungstrom (1915-2000). These are presented in summary form.
>>> "The Lindsborg Historical Society" was founded on September 25, 1919.
>>> The Founders
It really is not defined clearly who were the true founders per se of the Lindsborg Historical Society. However, below are names of those who were primarily responsible for the work on the Smoky Hills by alphabetical order:
>>> The Founders
It really is not defined clearly who were the true founders per se of the Lindsborg Historical Society. However, below are names of those who were primarily responsible for the work on the Smoky Hills by alphabetical order:
William Ahlstrom Emil O. Deere G. N. Malm C.A. Nelson R. Johnson Birger Sandzén
Dr. Emil O. Deere was certainly mentioned as a founder of the Society in the 1966 Bethany College Bethanian, as part of a remembrance of him as he had passed on in January of that year, as this is shown in the SWEDES' Deere's section. Mrs. Jaderborg mentions in her "Coronado's Lookout" article of the participation of the college professors asking for Bethany College board support for this organization and mentioning that Emil O. Deere was a "charter member" of the organization.
>>> Deere as the "Geologist" and his 1907 Thesis on the Smoky Hills
Emil O. Deere would certainly have been looked upon as a key resource for the projects concerning the Smoky Hills, as he was a scientist and a geologist who over a decade before completed his 1907 Master's Degree from Bethany College with his thesis titled as:
"Geology of Study in the Area of the Smoky Valley Buttes."
Swedish American Bethany College biology professor Dr. Leon Lungstrom records this information in his chapter on "Emil O. Deere" in his 1990 book History of Natural Science and Mathematics at Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas.
To confirm this Thesis information, in 2019, contact was made with former director Mrs. Lorna Nelson of the Old Mill Museum to see if the thesis was in the Deere Archive located there. Mrs. Nelson had curator and archivist Mrs. Lenora Lyman check to see. In turn an email on July 22, 2019 was sent to me confirming that the Thesis was there describing its pages were brittle and cracking with an attached confirming photograph from one of the pages.
>>> The "mission" of the Lindsborg Historical Society and the three names of this organization
Caring for the Smoky Hills was the Society's principal mission, and while doing so the organization's name would change in 1926 to the "Smoky Valley Historical Society," and in 1963 to the "Smoky Valley Historical Association" (SVHA), which continues as its name.
>>> The Projects of the Lindsborg Historical Society
Building a road to the top of the highest bluff of the Smoky Hills
Of the Smoky Hills projects involved, the main one was for the 1919 Lindsborg Historical Society to create a road to the top of the highest bluff. This assignment rested with Emil O. Deere, Birger Sandzén, G.N. Malm, William Ahlstrom, C.A. Nelson and R. Johnson, all of whom staked out the road from the valley floor to the summit on May 20, 1920.
Laying out a footpath to the top of the highest bluff
Preceding the completed road, first there would be laid out a footpath from the Valley floor to the top
Building a bridge over the draw of the southwest bluff
Deere, Nelson and Malm were also to see that a bridge was built over the draw located on the southwest bluff.
Building a temporary shelter near the top of the highest bluff
As well, Deere, Nelson and Malm were to see that a temporary shelter was built near the top of the highest bluff which would be given the name of "Fernebo Lodge" -- Fernebo maybe for the Färnebo Parish of Värmland, Sweden, where Pastor Olof Olsson ministered before pastoring at the Sunnemo congregation which followed his and many of his members emigrating to America, to Lindsborg in 1869.
>>> Naming of the Road and the Path
The Lindsborg Historical Society named the road "Swensson Drive," in honor of the dynamic Swedish American Rev. Dr. Carl Aaron Swensson, the founder of Bethany College and second pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church.
The Society named the path, the “Olsson Trail,” in honor of Swedish pioneer Pastor Olof Olsson, who with his Värmland, Sweden, emigration colony arrived in June 1869 to Lindsborg [which only had been given its name on February 20, 1869]. Pastor Olsson had become the "Spiritual Founder" of Lindsborg when he found its "first" church, one day to become known as the Mother Church of the Valley, that was named the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Bethany Church on August 19, 1869, which today is known as Bethany Church.
>>> Renaming the Smoky Hills by WIlliam Hagstrom
The Smoky Hills name would eventually changed to Coronado Heights as a result of one summer’s evening in 1919 when founder Emil O. Deere and William Hagstrom were sitting on an eastern slope of the Hills overlooking the Smoky Valley. As they were watching the reflection of the sunset on the fields of ripened wheat, it appeared “gold” in color bringing to Hagstrom’s mind “the gold” that Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado was seeking when he discovered the Smoky Hiils in July of 1541.
To confirm this Thesis information, in 2019, contact was made with former director Mrs. Lorna Nelson of the Old Mill Museum to see if the thesis was in the Deere Archive located there. Mrs. Nelson had curator and archivist Mrs. Lenora Lyman check to see. In turn an email on July 22, 2019 was sent to me confirming that the Thesis was there describing its pages were brittle and cracking with an attached confirming photograph from one of the pages.
>>> The "mission" of the Lindsborg Historical Society and the three names of this organization
Caring for the Smoky Hills was the Society's principal mission, and while doing so the organization's name would change in 1926 to the "Smoky Valley Historical Society," and in 1963 to the "Smoky Valley Historical Association" (SVHA), which continues as its name.
>>> The Projects of the Lindsborg Historical Society
Building a road to the top of the highest bluff of the Smoky Hills
Of the Smoky Hills projects involved, the main one was for the 1919 Lindsborg Historical Society to create a road to the top of the highest bluff. This assignment rested with Emil O. Deere, Birger Sandzén, G.N. Malm, William Ahlstrom, C.A. Nelson and R. Johnson, all of whom staked out the road from the valley floor to the summit on May 20, 1920.
Laying out a footpath to the top of the highest bluff
Preceding the completed road, first there would be laid out a footpath from the Valley floor to the top
Building a bridge over the draw of the southwest bluff
Deere, Nelson and Malm were also to see that a bridge was built over the draw located on the southwest bluff.
Building a temporary shelter near the top of the highest bluff
As well, Deere, Nelson and Malm were to see that a temporary shelter was built near the top of the highest bluff which would be given the name of "Fernebo Lodge" -- Fernebo maybe for the Färnebo Parish of Värmland, Sweden, where Pastor Olof Olsson ministered before pastoring at the Sunnemo congregation which followed his and many of his members emigrating to America, to Lindsborg in 1869.
>>> Naming of the Road and the Path
The Lindsborg Historical Society named the road "Swensson Drive," in honor of the dynamic Swedish American Rev. Dr. Carl Aaron Swensson, the founder of Bethany College and second pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church.
The Society named the path, the “Olsson Trail,” in honor of Swedish pioneer Pastor Olof Olsson, who with his Värmland, Sweden, emigration colony arrived in June 1869 to Lindsborg [which only had been given its name on February 20, 1869]. Pastor Olsson had become the "Spiritual Founder" of Lindsborg when he found its "first" church, one day to become known as the Mother Church of the Valley, that was named the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Bethany Church on August 19, 1869, which today is known as Bethany Church.
>>> Renaming the Smoky Hills by WIlliam Hagstrom
The Smoky Hills name would eventually changed to Coronado Heights as a result of one summer’s evening in 1919 when founder Emil O. Deere and William Hagstrom were sitting on an eastern slope of the Hills overlooking the Smoky Valley. As they were watching the reflection of the sunset on the fields of ripened wheat, it appeared “gold” in color bringing to Hagstrom’s mind “the gold” that Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado was seeking when he discovered the Smoky Hiils in July of 1541.
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*The above information has been arranged, formatted, in such a way, for any Smoky Valley social studies or history teacher or Bethany College history professor, if they wish, to use in their classroom experimentally for developing their own curriculum around the pilot SWEDES' inspired course, "Swedish American Smoky Valley Studies," with this first topic being "The Lindsborg Historical Society and the Smoky Hills."
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Swedish American Smoky Valley Studies*
Topic
The Lindsborg Historical Society and the Smoky Hills
Swedish American Smoky Valley Studies*
Topic
The Lindsborg Historical Society and the Smoky Hills
It is interesting to note that Mrs. Jaderborg had a master's degree in education and her husband Swede Bethany College graduate Dr. Einer Jaderborg (1918-2004) was a Smoky Valley School District No. 400 educator for 41 years, first teaching High School English for 17 years, then becoming the high school principal for 9 years and finally the Superintendent for 16 years.
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>>> Lydia's Photographs of the Lindsborg Historical Society Projects
It could be that when the Society was nearly finished with these projects in the early 1920s that Emil asked Lydia to take the following photographs, to visually document the completed work with the series of photographs which I found in their Sohlberg Deere Estate, as well as some of their negatives. Here are the images of those photographs.
It could be that when the Society was nearly finished with these projects in the early 1920s that Emil asked Lydia to take the following photographs, to visually document the completed work with the series of photographs which I found in their Sohlberg Deere Estate, as well as some of their negatives. Here are the images of those photographs.
- Lydia Surveying the Smoky Hills with Emil -
- Another way to look at the photographs -
- These additional photographs were given to me by the granddaughter of photographer Bror G. Gröndal's. -
(The first two of Deere with group on top of Coronado Heights. The third is of Seth Sohlberg with cows shown left on the valley floor.)
(The first two of Deere with group on top of Coronado Heights. The third is of Seth Sohlberg with cows shown left on the valley floor.)
>>> Recreating the day that the name of Coronado Heights was born
After much study and thought, I have concluded that Emil or Lydia might have wanted to recreate a photograph of that day when the name changed from the various names of the Smoky Hills to something entirely different, distinctive and historical which was to Coronado Heights in 1919.
This photograph may have captured that same time of day on the slope that Deere and Hagstrom experienced, of "seeing the wheat fields of gold” which led to the name change.
After much study and thought, I have concluded that Emil or Lydia might have wanted to recreate a photograph of that day when the name changed from the various names of the Smoky Hills to something entirely different, distinctive and historical which was to Coronado Heights in 1919.
This photograph may have captured that same time of day on the slope that Deere and Hagstrom experienced, of "seeing the wheat fields of gold” which led to the name change.
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- Lydia's photograph recreating the day of the name change to Coronado Heights in 1919 -
- Name changed by Hagstrom and witnessed by Deere -
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2011 Photograph
- Coronado Heights Castle -
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c1920
Lydia Sohlberg Deere Sketch
of
Spanish Explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and His Men
riding to the summit of the highest bluff of these Smoky Hill in 1541
This sketch became a colorful oil painting which sold at the Deere House auction in 1981.
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2006 Photograph
- Taken from Coronado Heights' Swensson Drive of the Kansas Smoky Valley Lindsborg -
(The official Swedes: TheWayTheyWere photograph.)
The Lindsborg Historical Society continues to operate to this date under its third name given to it in 1963, "The Smoky Valley Historical Association" (SVHA). To learn more of the hard work and dedication to the restoration, preservation and promotion of Smoky Valley history, go HERE.
Sources: * TopoZone.com
Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg: 1965 Lindsborg on Record and 1967 Living in Lindsborg
Dr. Leon Lungstrom's 1990 History of Natural Science and Mathematics at Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas
Working on this 5 4 22
Found in the Emil O. Deere Estate were photographs and negatives taken by Lydia Sohlberg Deere in the early 1920s concerning the very beginning of the work on the Smoky Valley Bluffs.
Also, most all of the following information comes from the late Lindsborg historian and researcher Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg, former SVHA secretary, from her book, "Talk About Lindsborg," the chapter on page 47 titled "Coronado's Lookout."
She writes that professors from Bethany College were involved and that Emil was a "charter member" of the organization which was in charge of the Bluffs.
"Lindsborg Historical Society" / "Smoky Valley Historical Society" / "Smoky Valley Historical Association"
Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg: 1965 Lindsborg on Record and 1967 Living in Lindsborg
Dr. Leon Lungstrom's 1990 History of Natural Science and Mathematics at Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas
Working on this 5 4 22
Found in the Emil O. Deere Estate were photographs and negatives taken by Lydia Sohlberg Deere in the early 1920s concerning the very beginning of the work on the Smoky Valley Bluffs.
Also, most all of the following information comes from the late Lindsborg historian and researcher Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg, former SVHA secretary, from her book, "Talk About Lindsborg," the chapter on page 47 titled "Coronado's Lookout."
She writes that professors from Bethany College were involved and that Emil was a "charter member" of the organization which was in charge of the Bluffs.
"Lindsborg Historical Society" / "Smoky Valley Historical Society" / "Smoky Valley Historical Association"
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"Let Us Remember Them"
"Let Us Remember Them"
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Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
