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The 1919 Formation of the "Lindsborg Historical Society"
~ The Smoky Hills' "Smoky Hill" christened "Coronado Heights" May 8, 1924
~ The Smoky Hills' "Smoky Hill" christened "Coronado Heights" May 8, 1924
The reason for the formation of this organization was due to the Kansas Smoky Valley Smoky Hills located 3.8 miles northwest of Lindsborg in McPherson County. In this group of hills, the highest hill was first called Smoky Hill, rising 300 feet from the Valley floor.
Caring for a piece of property of the Smoky Hills was the Lindsborg Historical Society's principal mission, and while doing so the organization's name changed in 1926 to the "Smoky Valley Historical Society," and in 1963 to "Smoky Valley Historical Association" (SVHA). It is confirmed by Mr. Bill Carlson * (1930-2018) in his 2010 Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now 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."
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 English 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 in central Kansas near present-day Lyons extending northeast to Salina. Scarce Spanish artifacts, from time to time were found in the area, a significant one by Bethany College Musuem of Natural History curator and first college professor August Udden was that of Spanish chain mail that belonged to the College Museum until it disappeared mysteriously.
It is confirmed by Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg* (1918-2016) in her writings that "A National Geographic historical map points to [Kansas] Lindsborg and refers to the spot as "The Capital of Quivira." As well, she writes that "Coronado Heights is the only natural landmark in Kansas which distinctly commemorates the visit in 1541 of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and 30 Spaniards into territory which is now the State of Kansas."
Thus, it would seem that it was this highest hill of these Smoky Hills which brought about the formation of the "Lindsborg Historical Society" in 1919. The earliest leaders and concerned Lindsborg citizens interested in the formation of such an organization where these who first met in Lindsborg at the City Hall on July 9, 1919. At this meeting there was a full discussion of what was needed to form this organization for which they desired.
Persons attending that meeting were "the speech makers'" "Dr. Beckman, Chas. Ferm, Birger Sandzén, and G. N. Malm. Also in attendance were: Luther Swensson, Aug. Palmquist, C. A. Nelson, J. M. Nelson, A. J. Fredrickson, John Holmberg, William Hagstrom, Elmer E. Peterson, George Eberhart, E. O. Deere, R. Johnson, and W. K. Henry.
A couple of weeks later the organization was founded as the Lindsborg Historical Society on September 25, 1919. A board had been elected with board member E. O. Deere elected to be the Vice President and G. N. Malm volunteered to be the Secretary, despite the warnings by the Kansas Historical Society secretary of the time regarding how difficult the job could be.
The Lindsborg Historical Society's E. O. Deere was assigned, along with Dr. Eklund and William Hagstrom, to negotiate the purchase of the land of these Smoky Hills, the bluffs as they called them, from a "Peter" Elving. The land was acquired in 1920. Nearly half of it was purchased by the Society and the remainder was leased from Chas. Ferm.
On May 20, 1920, the "Olsson Trail" to the top of the summit, of the highest bluff, Coronado Heights, was staked out by E. O. Deere, Birger Sandzén, G. N. Malm, Wm. Hagstrom, C. A. Nelson, and R. Johnson from the Valley floor. Deere, Nelson, and Malm were also in charge of a bridge to be built over the draw and a temporary shelter to be built as well.
Also, this 1919 Lindsborg Historical Society seeing the great need to begin a historical museum, assigned some of their members to go humbly before the Bethany College board in 1926 to organize such a museum on the college campus to which the board agreed. This History Museum would merge with the 1882 established Natural History Musuem that had been founded by Professor Udden, the first professor of the Bethany Academy, the Bethany College-to-be.
As noted in the succeeding section, the fact that Professor Emil O. Deere was a geologist who had spent a great deal of time studying these Smoky Hills, or Smoky Valley Buttes as he called them, in order to write his Bethany College thesis: "Geology of Study in the Area of the Smoky Valley Buttes" for his master's degree, would provide a provenance on the Smoky Hills going forward that one could surmise would have been shared most assuredly with the to-be-leaders ahead of time in their desire to form the 1919 Lindsborg Historical Society.
Emil and Lydia had married in 1916, so it was not surprising that she took photographs of the results of the work being accomplished by her husband and the other members of the Society. These photographs and their negatives, I found in their Sohlberg Deere Estate which are shown here and in two other sections.
The full details on this Society, these Smoky Hills and on Francisco de Vázquez Coronado are HERE in the next section, titled Lindsborg Historical Society and Coronado Heights History ~ Three (3) accounts by Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg, former SVHA secretary.
And on more on the Society, G. N. Malm's role in the development of the Lindsborg Historical Society and Coronado Heights ~ An account by Dr. Lindquist is HERE.
* Mrs. Jaderborg was a well-respected research writer, historian, author and Smoky Valley Historical Association secretary, originally from the East, a Mayflower descendant graduating from New Hampshire's Keene State Teachers College, who fell in love with a Lindsborg Swede Einar Jaderborg, and married him. Regarded equally as well was Lindsborg-born educator Mr. Carlson whose Swedish grandparents, Magnus and Maria Carlson, entered the Smoky Valley in 1867 when they purchased land, two years before the two colonies of Swedes did.
** Quivira Wikipedia.
Other sources: 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
Caring for a piece of property of the Smoky Hills was the Lindsborg Historical Society's principal mission, and while doing so the organization's name changed in 1926 to the "Smoky Valley Historical Society," and in 1963 to "Smoky Valley Historical Association" (SVHA). It is confirmed by Mr. Bill Carlson * (1930-2018) in his 2010 Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now 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."
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 English 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 in central Kansas near present-day Lyons extending northeast to Salina. Scarce Spanish artifacts, from time to time were found in the area, a significant one by Bethany College Musuem of Natural History curator and first college professor August Udden was that of Spanish chain mail that belonged to the College Museum until it disappeared mysteriously.
It is confirmed by Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg* (1918-2016) in her writings that "A National Geographic historical map points to [Kansas] Lindsborg and refers to the spot as "The Capital of Quivira." As well, she writes that "Coronado Heights is the only natural landmark in Kansas which distinctly commemorates the visit in 1541 of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and 30 Spaniards into territory which is now the State of Kansas."
Thus, it would seem that it was this highest hill of these Smoky Hills which brought about the formation of the "Lindsborg Historical Society" in 1919. The earliest leaders and concerned Lindsborg citizens interested in the formation of such an organization where these who first met in Lindsborg at the City Hall on July 9, 1919. At this meeting there was a full discussion of what was needed to form this organization for which they desired.
Persons attending that meeting were "the speech makers'" "Dr. Beckman, Chas. Ferm, Birger Sandzén, and G. N. Malm. Also in attendance were: Luther Swensson, Aug. Palmquist, C. A. Nelson, J. M. Nelson, A. J. Fredrickson, John Holmberg, William Hagstrom, Elmer E. Peterson, George Eberhart, E. O. Deere, R. Johnson, and W. K. Henry.
A couple of weeks later the organization was founded as the Lindsborg Historical Society on September 25, 1919. A board had been elected with board member E. O. Deere elected to be the Vice President and G. N. Malm volunteered to be the Secretary, despite the warnings by the Kansas Historical Society secretary of the time regarding how difficult the job could be.
The Lindsborg Historical Society's E. O. Deere was assigned, along with Dr. Eklund and William Hagstrom, to negotiate the purchase of the land of these Smoky Hills, the bluffs as they called them, from a "Peter" Elving. The land was acquired in 1920. Nearly half of it was purchased by the Society and the remainder was leased from Chas. Ferm.
On May 20, 1920, the "Olsson Trail" to the top of the summit, of the highest bluff, Coronado Heights, was staked out by E. O. Deere, Birger Sandzén, G. N. Malm, Wm. Hagstrom, C. A. Nelson, and R. Johnson from the Valley floor. Deere, Nelson, and Malm were also in charge of a bridge to be built over the draw and a temporary shelter to be built as well.
Also, this 1919 Lindsborg Historical Society seeing the great need to begin a historical museum, assigned some of their members to go humbly before the Bethany College board in 1926 to organize such a museum on the college campus to which the board agreed. This History Museum would merge with the 1882 established Natural History Musuem that had been founded by Professor Udden, the first professor of the Bethany Academy, the Bethany College-to-be.
As noted in the succeeding section, the fact that Professor Emil O. Deere was a geologist who had spent a great deal of time studying these Smoky Hills, or Smoky Valley Buttes as he called them, in order to write his Bethany College thesis: "Geology of Study in the Area of the Smoky Valley Buttes" for his master's degree, would provide a provenance on the Smoky Hills going forward that one could surmise would have been shared most assuredly with the to-be-leaders ahead of time in their desire to form the 1919 Lindsborg Historical Society.
Emil and Lydia had married in 1916, so it was not surprising that she took photographs of the results of the work being accomplished by her husband and the other members of the Society. These photographs and their negatives, I found in their Sohlberg Deere Estate which are shown here and in two other sections.
The full details on this Society, these Smoky Hills and on Francisco de Vázquez Coronado are HERE in the next section, titled Lindsborg Historical Society and Coronado Heights History ~ Three (3) accounts by Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg, former SVHA secretary.
And on more on the Society, G. N. Malm's role in the development of the Lindsborg Historical Society and Coronado Heights ~ An account by Dr. Lindquist is HERE.
* Mrs. Jaderborg was a well-respected research writer, historian, author and Smoky Valley Historical Association secretary, originally from the East, a Mayflower descendant graduating from New Hampshire's Keene State Teachers College, who fell in love with a Lindsborg Swede Einar Jaderborg, and married him. Regarded equally as well was Lindsborg-born educator Mr. Carlson whose Swedish grandparents, Magnus and Maria Carlson, entered the Smoky Valley in 1867 when they purchased land, two years before the two colonies of Swedes did.
** Quivira Wikipedia.
Other sources: 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
- Lydia and Emil surveying the Smoky Hills' "Coronado Heights" finished projects -
- 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.)
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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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 Hills in 1541
This sketch became a colorful oil painting which sold at the Deere House auction in 1981.
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.
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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.
