Last year, Sandy, Morgan and I were able to visit Norway and see our dear friend Ellen and her daughter Lena in Oslo. Part of my heritage are some of my ancestors came from Sweden and it has always been a friendly joke between Ellen and myself.
This weekend, Sandy and I decided to go down to Wilmington, Delaware and visit the Kalmar Nykel, which is a reconstruction of one of the vessels that landed in what is now Wilmington in 1638, carrying the first settlers for Nya Svierge, or New Sweden. The colony only lasted until 1655, when the Dutch came and took over the place. But the Swedish influence on the area, including a swath of land all the way up to Philadelphia is still extant, especially in the Swedish Lutheran churches.
The visitor center for the Old Swedes Historic Site is a house moved down from Delaware County that was built after the colony was taken over by the Dutch, but in the old Swedish style.
The altar inside Old Swedes Church. Founded in 1698, it is still an active church.
Erik Bjork was the lead minister from the founding and for many years after
A monument at Fort Christina, well, the location where it stood. A stone's throw from Old Swedes Church, it was erected in 1938 by the Swedish government in honour of the founding of the colony.
Where the less than formidable Fort Christina was built...
An artist's impression of how the fort might have appeared....hmmm....not that hard to build...
Inside the Copeland Center, there is a painting by Patrick O'Brian of the Kalmar Nykel which tells of its fate off of Scotland during the First Anglo-Dutch War.
A depiction of the Nya Sveirge colony.
And the Kalmar Nykel herself. Maybe next time, I'll be able to check her out.
But in the meantime...maybe there's something I could paint up between the Dutch, the Swedes, and maybe some First Nations or Pirate marauders...hmmm....
The Copeland Marine Center was open, but the vessel was getting ready for some kind of gala event, so she wasn't open for tours. Overall, it was a very interesting time. Again, another historical gem hidden right in plain sight.
After our wandering, we drove up to Kennett Square and enjoyed a wonderful late lunch at Emis Cafe.
Overall, just a grand day out.
How cool! My maternal grandparents' old (Episcopal) church in Douglasville, PA began as a Swedish Lutheran congregation. Christmas Eve services in the original unheated, unpowered chapel by candlelight, often with snow on the ground in the 1970s and early 80s, were always especially nice.
ReplyDeleteKind Sunday Evening Regards,
Stokes
Thank you, Stokes! Douglassville is just up Route 422 from me. I've been through there many times. And the Episcopal Church now runs Old Swedes, as a matter of fact. Good to hear from you and I hope you are well.
DeleteEric
Looks like a nice place to visit and imbibe some local history, shame you couldn't get on board the ship!
ReplyDeleteI know! I was hoping. But it was an unplanned sort of day trip. And there were several interesting people to talk with, so it was a grand time anyway.
DeleteEric
Eric,
ReplyDeleteJust to tempt you further, there is a series of "alternative history" fantasy novels around Alvin Maker - all a bit mystic and magic is real - but the background presupposes that "America" is made up of English, Dutch, Swedish and French colonies with a small "United States" - England is a Puritan Commonwealth and Virginia full of Royalists. It's set in the Napoleonic period / Tippicanoe - various historical personalities appear ( inc Nappy, Franklin etc).
Always thought the basic background perfect for an Imaginary campaign....
Neil
Thanks, Neil! I shall have to look them up.
DeleteEric