Chisago City | Lindström | Center City | Scandia | Shafer | Taylors Falls | Almelund | North Branch

Chisago City

Sister-City to Algutsboda, Sweden -
Farming community platted in 1857. Became a tourist resort destination after the 1880 railroad was built. The West “Gateway to the Chisago Lakes Area.”

• Vilhelm Moberg Statue/Vilhelm Moberg Park - Depiction of Moberg in 1948 on his bicycle.

• Vilhelm Moberg’s Lodging, 1948 visit - Moberg stayed in this hotel while researching for his four-part Emigrant novels.

• Zion Ev. Lutheran Church organized May, 1874.

• Restaurants, Chisago City, Lindström, and Center City where customers still speak the old Småland, Swedish dialect. Stop in and say, “Goddag, Goddag.”

Lindström

Sister-City to Tingsryd, Sweden - Founded in 1894. Named after Daniel Lindström from Hassela, Hälsingland, Sweden.

• Karl Oskar and Kristina Statue - Replica of the original in Karlshamn, Sweden. Karl Oskar & Kristina are ficticious characters in the Moberg novels. Kristina is looking back to Sweden and Karl Oskar is looking forward to "Amerika!". Boulder #2 from Duvemåla,Sweden. The Chisago County Press Newspaper, ask to see the desk Moberg used in 1948.

• Chisago County History Center - Chisago County Historic Site info.

• c. 1879 Gustaf Anderson House

• Gustaf’s Gallery - Swedish Arts and Gifts, Main Street

• Swedish Coffee Pot Water Tower - The 1908 water tower converted to Swedish Coffee Pot

• Fridhem, “Home of Peace.” Built in 1898 as a tourist home.

• C.A. Victor House Charles A. Victor, from Småland, Sweden.

• Nya Duvemåla (New Dove’s Home) In 1948, Moberg was inspired by this old house and created Karl Oskar & Kristina’s fictitious home where they would live their final days in America. Kristina named it Nya Duvemåla after her home, Duvemåla, in Småland. Swedish Royal Visit, September 13,1996. Tours, 651-257-2519. Directions: From Hwy. 8, go South on County Road 25, then East on Glader Blvd. to Kichi-Saga Park. Bus parking available. The Karl oskar House was moved from it's original site 1/4 mile West to Kichi-Saga Park November, 1995. Dedicated June, 1996. Boulder #1 from Åseda, Sweden, via Volvo. Tack!

• Glader Cemetery - Oldest Swedish pioneer cemetery in Minnesota. Karl Oskar and Kristina are fictionally buried here.

Center City

Sister-City to Hassela, Sweden -
Founded in 1851 on the shores of Kich-Saga - The Big Lake. It is the oldest continuously settled Swedish community in Minnesota. Center City is the Chisago County Seat.

• Founder’s Monument Erik Ulrik Norberg spent the winter of 1850 here before guiding a group of Swedish countrymen to Chisago Lake to establish Center City.

• Chisago Lake Ev. Lutheran Church - Organized May 12, 1854.

• Government Center Court House - The first County Seat was moved from Taylors Falls in the 1860s to Center City because the roads “diverged to every part of the County from Center City.”

• Center City Historic District on Summit Avenue - Built and lived in by Swedish immigrant first and second generation families.

• Chisago Lake...Kichi-Saga...The Big Lake...Swede Lake. Native American Ojibwe/Chippewa, word meaning “Fair and Lovely Waters.” Also known as “Swede Lake” by the first European settlers. It was one large connected lake before the railroad split the lake
lake into five separate lakes.

• Hazelden Foundation renowned rehabilitation center for chemical dependency.

Scandia

Sister-City to Lessebo Kommun, Sweden First Swedish settlement in Minnesota starting the winter of 1849-1850.

• Gammelgården Museum - A collection of Swedish log buildings, the 1856 Lutheran Church, and new Visitor Center.

• Elim Lutheran Church - First known as Marine Mills Country Church. Organized May 19, 1854.

• Hay Lake School Museum, Swedish Log House and Historical 1900 Monument. Honors the first families that arrived in Scandia in 1850.

• Scandia Cafe, Swedish Dala Horses throughout the town. - (651)433-4054.

Shafer

Sister-City to Nöbbele, Sweden - Farming community, once a potato hub. First organized under Taylors Falls. In 1853 the town was renamed after a transient farm worker, Jacob Shafer from Sweden who cut hay in sections 4 & 5.
(Also known as - Shafer Meadows where Jacob cut hay.)

• Jacob Pettersson House - From Dädesjö, Småland. Came to America in 1853. Was an entrepreneur and owner of the Jacob Peterson General Merchantile.

• c. 1869 Lars J. Thorsander House (Torsås Bondegård) - Country Bed & Breakfast since 1982. Immigrants from Östra Torsås Parish, Småland. Moberg visited this house in 1948 to deliver a wedding gift to the current owner. Website:www.countrybedandbreakfast.us

Taylors Falls First Settlements 1838. Early population from New England. A Major Gateway for Swedish Immigration. Located at the head of navigation on the St. Croix River. Known for the lumbering of white pine. A "must see" for Swedish tourists!

First settlements 1838. Early population from New England. At the head of navigation on the St. Croix River. Known for the lumbering of white pine and the Gateway to Immigration.

• Paddle Boat Excursion Cruises - Daily May to mid Oct. Learn early history of the area from commentary and view first hand what the immigrants saw when they arrived.

• Minnesota Interstate State Park - The lower boat landing used by immigrants, world famous glacial potholes, hiking trails, camping and Visitor Center.

• 1855 W.H.C. Folsom House Museum - On the National Register of Historic Places, Angel Hill Historic District. Mr. Folsom was influential in the lumbering business, establishment of the town and Minnesota’s constitution. He served as a Legislator. He owned a great deal of land which immigrants rented. Please see Falls Chamber website: www.scfwi.com , or Taylors Falls Chamber
website: www.taylorsfallschamber.org

• c. 1854 Munch/Roos House - Oscar Roos, one of Minnesota’s earliest Swedish settlers, was a dealer in private loans who aided hundreds of immigrant families to establish themselves.

• 1866 Hamilton House - Samuel Hamilton - State Immigrant Agent who helped many Swedish immigrants, providing temporary housing for new arrivals.

• Stone Retaining Walls - Located behind the houses on the west side of Bench Street (Main Street), and in the Angel Hill Historic District.

• First Ev. (Swedish) Lutheran Church - Organized in 1860.

• The Emigrant Trail - Drive Cty. Rd. 37 West from Taylors Falls to Center City 7.2 mi. The first Emigrant Trail to the “Big Lake” Kichi-Saga area. Old farms, barns and scenic drive.

Almelund

Swedish farming community founded in 1887- 88 by John Almquist.

• Amador Heritage Center - See artifacts and a restored Swedish log cabin.

• Immanuel Lutheran Church - Organized in 1887.

• Wild River State Park - Early settlers lived along the Sunrise and St. Croix Rivers on land that would become part of the Park - including Ola and Judith Nelson (emigrated from Sweden 1869). The Nelson's great-grandchild Senator Jerald Anderson authored the Park bill in the 1970s. Intersection of US Hwy. 95 and Cty. Road #12. North on Cty. Road #12. See signs. Info: 651-583-2125

• Historic Chisago County Court House and the Shafer Township Clover Blossom School House at the Almelund Threshing Show Site (see Aug. events).

North Branch

A railroad station town along the St. Paul-Duluth line, plated in 1869 as the tracks and railroad bed were being constructed. Settled mostly by New Englanders - who moved from Amador and Sunrise, and a few Germans and Scandinavians. By 1900 with large Swedish immigration, its dominating characteristic was Swedish, and it was the Hub of the Potato Belt along the rail line.

Info courtesy of Max Malmquist. website: northbranchlibrary.com

• Trinity Lutheran Church - Organized May 12, 1887.

• “Century Farms” of North Branch - Swedish Farms with over 100 years of continuous family occupancy.

Magnison Century Farm Alfred and Swen emigrated from Jeppahem, Östra Torsås, Småland, Sweden. Purchased 830 acres from the U.S. Government in 1885. Now farmed by 3rd & 4th generation members.

Olson Century Farm Frank emigrated from Almeboda (Småland), Sweden in 1879. Purchased 40 acres originally, and more were purchased over the years to reach 320. The present owner is 5th generation and sons are the 6th generation now living on the homestead.

• Fish Lake Lutheran Church - Organized 1867. Land acquired from the Burlington Northern R.R., which encouraged Swedish immigration. Original 1905 mural. Hultgren and Lane Tracker Organ.