A road trip podcast in search of the Swedish heritage in the United States, celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence by exploring the people and places of Swedish America through a series of interviews and short stories.
In the far northwestern corner of the Lower 48 states is Washington, with Seattle as its epicenter. A city (and state) notably shaped by Scandinavian immigrants and Swedish heritage.
How did they find their way all the way out here? And what about the area made people cross oceans, prairies, mountains, and deserts to get here?
I met with Eric Nelson, former Executive Director of the National Nordic Museum in Seattle, to find out.
Join us as we talk about Sweden's legacy in Washington, his Swedish heritage, and his eighteen years as director of the museum - an assignment that has awarded him a knightly title from each of the five Nordic countries.
- What is it like to hold all these medals?
29 Sept 2026
MOLLY STEENSON | The Swedish history of Minnesota and the concept of being Swedish
Is Minnesota as Swedish as it says it is? And what does it really mean to be a Swede?
I drove to Minneapolis to meet with Molly W. Steenson, President and CEO of the American Swedish Institute, and to learn about Swan Johan Turnblad, the Swedish newspaper publisher behind "Svenska Amerikanska Posten", who donated the property that is now the American Swedish Institute. But also to confirm the Swedish immigration history of Minnesota and to ask her what it is to be "Swedish" in the United States today.
- Because surely it must be more than doing the Fika and listening to ABBA?
Join us as we talk about the oddness of Mr. Turnblad, why the Swedes came to Minnesota - and the philosophical concept of being a "Swede".
22 Sept 2026
BARB HUGHES | Learning Swedish to unlock your family's history
Barb Hughes' grandparents came to Minnesota by the beginning of the last century. They were Swedish woodworkers and cabinet makers, seeking a life in the growing city of Minneapolis, and soon became part of the city's Swedish community.
But the ties to their homeland were never broken, leaving a trail of stories, letters, and tales that continued through the generations, and to unlock her past, Barb decided at an early age to learn Swedish. A decision that not only woke up her inner Swede but also started a chain reaction, opening the door to nursing school, connecting her and her family to their Swedish relatives - and meeting her husband.
I met Barb outside her house in Mankato, Minnesota, and was overwhelmed by both her hospitality and the way her eyes sparkled when we spoke Swedish.
- This episode seeks to highlight the importance of a language and how it can be used to go back in time.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
7 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
22 ratings
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