Contacts
MOVING FORWARD:
"Vägen framåt!"
with
SWEDES, the way we are
MOVING FORWARD:
"Vägen framåt!"
with
SWEDES, the way we are
As of August 2021, the McPherson County Old Mill Museum came under new ownership with a new name, The Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum, and with a stronger, fresh and vibrant commitment to the mission of "Preserving the Old Mill and Swedish Heritage of the Smoky Valley." This is growth and "good news" for local Swedish American restorers, preservers and promoters of this unique local history and culture.
Moving forward with our Swedish heritage and history secure we can look to the future as confident Swedish Americans, who have lived in Lindsborg all of our lives or just for a while or who are students, alumni and friends of Bethany College, when we eventually see on the horizon the workings of two exciting and unique celebrations for this community. These will be in 7 and 8 years -- the 150th founding anniversaries of Bethany College in 2031 and of the Messiah performances in 2032.
Six years later, in 2038, will be the Swedish American nationwide event celebrating the 400th founding year of New Sweden. Lindsborg and Bethany College participated fully in the 300th founding anniversary in 1938. "Where is New Sweden?" - you might wonder. It is an area of land located in the lower reaches of the Delaware River that would include portions of the States of Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Sweden claimed this land as her own in 1638 when Swedish ships landed on the Delaware shore.
Moving forward with positive conclusions, direction and inspiration are the last words from the Swedish American Kansan historian, author and Bethany College's fourth president, Dr. Emory K. Lindquist, found in his 1975 book Bethany in Kansas: the history of a college:
"Legend has it that when Indians long ago viewed the Smoky Valley from the range of hills [Coronado Heights] northwest of Lindsborg and saw the mystic haze on spring and autumn days, they believed that the valley was endowed with some unusual quality. Later, the Swedish residents described not the legendary but the real when they wrote to relatives and friends in the homeland that America and this area was indeed “framtidslandet,” “the land of the future.” Legend and history, although so different, may join to describe and inspire. There is much inspiration in Bethany’s history and there is great reason for confidence in the college’s future.
"The founders often used the familiar Swedish word, “Framåt!” “Forward!” to express their belief about the College in the world of tomorrow. This imperative, “Forward!” is still valid. Faith in God and in the Bethany idea will enable succeeding generations to write additional glorious chapters in Bethany’s history."
With these motivational words that "those glorious chapters" will be written "in Bethany history," SWEDES will be adding more sections for easier access to some of Bethany's most interesting history as well as that of Lindsborg's. That first section can be found HERE and is titled Swedish American Smoky Valley Studies.
Moving forward with our Swedish heritage and history secure we can look to the future as confident Swedish Americans, who have lived in Lindsborg all of our lives or just for a while or who are students, alumni and friends of Bethany College, when we eventually see on the horizon the workings of two exciting and unique celebrations for this community. These will be in 7 and 8 years -- the 150th founding anniversaries of Bethany College in 2031 and of the Messiah performances in 2032.
Six years later, in 2038, will be the Swedish American nationwide event celebrating the 400th founding year of New Sweden. Lindsborg and Bethany College participated fully in the 300th founding anniversary in 1938. "Where is New Sweden?" - you might wonder. It is an area of land located in the lower reaches of the Delaware River that would include portions of the States of Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Sweden claimed this land as her own in 1638 when Swedish ships landed on the Delaware shore.
Moving forward with positive conclusions, direction and inspiration are the last words from the Swedish American Kansan historian, author and Bethany College's fourth president, Dr. Emory K. Lindquist, found in his 1975 book Bethany in Kansas: the history of a college:
"Legend has it that when Indians long ago viewed the Smoky Valley from the range of hills [Coronado Heights] northwest of Lindsborg and saw the mystic haze on spring and autumn days, they believed that the valley was endowed with some unusual quality. Later, the Swedish residents described not the legendary but the real when they wrote to relatives and friends in the homeland that America and this area was indeed “framtidslandet,” “the land of the future.” Legend and history, although so different, may join to describe and inspire. There is much inspiration in Bethany’s history and there is great reason for confidence in the college’s future.
"The founders often used the familiar Swedish word, “Framåt!” “Forward!” to express their belief about the College in the world of tomorrow. This imperative, “Forward!” is still valid. Faith in God and in the Bethany idea will enable succeeding generations to write additional glorious chapters in Bethany’s history."
With these motivational words that "those glorious chapters" will be written "in Bethany history," SWEDES will be adding more sections for easier access to some of Bethany's most interesting history as well as that of Lindsborg's. That first section can be found HERE and is titled Swedish American Smoky Valley Studies.
Vägen framåt, med lyckönskningar till ALLA,
Moving forward, with good wishes to ALL,
Fran Cochran
August 30, 2024
Go to CONTACTS, for more information.
Moving forward, with good wishes to ALL,
Fran Cochran
August 30, 2024
Go to CONTACTS, for more information.
Sveadal, CA, Midsummer 2018
For the "Table of Contents,"Traveling through SWEDES, go below to the Download File
This does not include the current additional sections yet.
This does not include the current additional sections yet.
| table_of_contents_~_traveling_through_swedes_~_7_6_24.docx |
* * *
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.
