Written by Ok. I am bored. So, here is a new article. This article shall be your Christmas gift!
As some of you probably know, I am going to Minnesota in 6 months for my birthday (March 26, I’m turning 14!).
Today, I am going to talk about the most Nordic city in the USA, the history behind it, and why.
So why is Lyndström the most Nordic City in the USA?
First of all, Minnesota is already well known for its Nordic connections. It’s already the most Nordic state, with over 1.6 million Scandinavians and Scandinavian Americans. (This means that if you put 5 people from Minnesota in a row, 1 person has Scandinavian Ancestry).
It has gotten to the point where Uff Da is a common slang term, and Nordic foods are really common to eat during the holidays.
The big cities have at least two Nordic Stores/museums/heritage centers, and Nordic heritage is preserved even in modern times. However, this town takes it to the next level.
Lyndström (also spelled Lindstrom or Lindström, but for preservation reasons, I will not use the latter spelling) is a small town with less than 5,000 residents. It is about 45 minutes from Minneapolis, the state capital.
The town is divided into different areas due to lake formation in surrounding areas. To some people, this has been described as the most Nordic town in the USA.
Lyndström’s History
Lyndström started out as a settlement area for Swedish and Norwegian settlers. Led by a man named Daniel Lyndström, he and his stepbrother led the 1st wave of settlers.
The town was traditionally a fishing village and farming village, but later transformed into a small city with stores and churches. It was later documented as a town in 1890.
Currently, 56% of residents have either Norwegian or Swedish ancestry. (this means that if you put 2 people who live in Lyndström in a row, 1 person is Scandinavian or Scandinavian-American)
Lyndström is also famous for a book series that I really like… The Emigrants novels by Vilhelm Moberg. Lyndström plays a big role in The Emigrants’ 3rd and 4th books (The Settlers and The Last Letter Home).
The books became a huge hit in both Scandinavia and the United States since their release in 1951 and have expanded into a multimedia franchise of books, movies, TV shows, and tourist attractions.
The book series had such a huge impact on the city that there are even references to the book series in the town.
For example, there is a statue of Karl and Kristina, the main characters, a park named “Moberg Pavillion.” (which, spoilers, has nothing to do with The Emigrants or Vilhelm Moberg himself), and a festival dedicated to the characters called Karl-Oskar days.
This festival happens in July every year, and includes parades, fireworks, the coronation of a “Karl-Oskar Princess (a girl who is devoted to her Nordic heritage who lives in Lindström or surrounding areas)” and folk dancing.
It’s not bad for a book series about Swedish Immigrants.
The Town Itself
You will see many references to Swedish culture even by simply walking down the street.
One of them includes a water tower that showcases traditional Norwegian rosemaling art (in Scandinavian cultures, Rosemaling is a traditional form of art by stamping flowers onto fabric and other materials) that says “Välkomenn” (Welcome in Swedish).
There is also a tiny Swedish bakery and a store where you can buy all sorts of Merchandise related to Scandinavia and Minnesota. You can even buy a hoodie that shows the world you have been to Lyndström.
You can also see a mural on a garage that shows Swedish Vikings. Also, there is a park called “Ny Duvemåla.” This park you can visit shows a replica of Karl’s house in The Emigrants.
(The reason it is called Ny Duvemåla is because Duvemåla is the setting of the 1st book; it is a small town in Sweden that today serves as a cultural center about the books)
Hope you enjoy this article. Will you Visit Lyndström? Does your state have any Nordic settlements/towns/cities?
I am actually visiting Lyndström for my Minnesota trip, so I’m very excited. Also, In September of last year, I visited a Danish Settlement in Texas, which was really cool. It’s very unpopulated, tho.
Bye Vikings <3
