(Photo: Vilhelm Moberg Statue In Chisago City)
Many factors drove Swedes to leave their homeland, but one of the main reasons was overpopulation, which resulted in challenging living conditions. America, on the other hand, promised opportunities, including free land in the sparsely populated areas of the West. For many Europeans struggling with lack of work and rising living costs, this was a great opportunity to escape poverty.
Minneapolis and Minnesota
A large portion of Swedish emigrants settled in areas that already had Swedish communities, such as Minneapolis and Minnesota. Some towns even adopted Swedish names, like Braham, Minnesota, named after a Swede named Abraham. In the state of Minnesota, 1 in 10 residents has background originating from Sweden.
This great emigration has been depicted in movies and books, but perhaps the most famous and accurate portrayal is found in the book series The Emigrants written by Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg. In Chisago City, Minnesota, there is a statue depicting Vilhelm Moberg.
