​Connecting Generations Locally & Globally 

The Swedish Historical Society of Rockford was established in 1938 by a group from Rockford after visiting the 300th anniversary of the arrival of Swedes in North America. This celebration was held in Delaware, where once there was a Swedish colony. The Society was officially formed on January 31, 1939 and incorporated in Illinois as a not-for-profit corporation on November 29, 1950.
 
​The Swedish Historical Society is organized exclusively for historical, educational, and charitable purposes. In harmony with this purpose is the operation of the Erlander Home Museum and Nordic Cultural Center. SHS strives for the preservation of Swedish-American history and Nordic culture of Rockford through such activities as the conservation of artifacts, museum displays and educational programs.
Beginning in 1852, and peaking around the 1880's,  Swedes came to Rockford by the thousands to seek their fortunes. They were part of the mass migration that eventually brought 60 million people to these shores. They reflected in their journeys the hopes and fears of other immigrant groups. They came to escape poverty, to enjoy freedom of expression, to participate in the political process, to worship (or not) and sometimes simply find adventure*.
*excerpt from SwedeTown by John Lundin

Scandinavian Cemetery Walk with Rockford Historical Society 
September 30th    10:00 AM- 1:00PM      

Join us as we partner with the Rockford Historical Society to share the history of the stories behind the stones at Scandinavian Cemetery on September 30th from 10am-1pm!

Volunteers select individuals interred in the cemetery, research the person’s past, and interpret their findings for those who attend the walk. The interpreters are often dressed in costumes of the period associated with their subjects. Some of the interpreters also bring related items to enhance their presentations given near the gravesites of their chosen individuals.​

Visit the Cemetery Walk page for more details!

Book Talk with author Maria Bouroncle
October 6th at 11:30 AM 

Join us for a book talk at the Nordic Cultural Center on October 6th with author Maria Bouroncle.

An economist by profession, Maria – who spent over 25 years in the field of international development – published her first book in 2018, and subsequently decided to pursue her passion for writing professionally. "It Came to Me on a Whim" has been translated into several languages and is currently used on the Scandinavian Crime Literature Course at UCLA.
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Maria’s book tells the story of her great-aunt who killed her three children at the age of twenty-seven in 1929. Through exhaustive research, she has strived to shed light on what led up to this tragedy, which had been a tightly guarded family secret for over seventy years.
Cost for the presentation is $5.00 donation in support of the Erlander Home Museum. 

Visit the Book Talk Page for details!

Want to know more?

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Let our  knowledgeable docents take you through the museum as they guide you into Rockford's Swedish culture and past . 
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