Sweden places

Historical Buildings

THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH developed from a nucleus of 20 members who joined together November 27,1886. Rev. O.P. Fogelin became the first pastor. On September 22, 1891 the members met in a partially completed church, which was then incorporated as the Free-Christian Gospel Mission Church of New Sweden. The church building was dedicated December 6, 1891. In 1897, the church joined the Aroostook Conference of Congregational Churches. In the 1940's, it became affiliated with the Eastern Missionary Association and then with the Evangelical Covenant Church of America.
Sunday Worship - 11:00 AM - Sunday School - 9:30 AM -Pastor: Rev. Shelly Timber, Pastor - Phone: (207) 896-5202
THE GUSTAF ADOLPH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH was organized August 1871, by 221 men, women and children under the leadership of Pastor Andrew Wiren as the First Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Sweden, Maine. The name was changed in July, 1896. Church, Sunday School, and regular school activities were conducted in the public building, Capitolium for many years under the Supervision of Pastor Wiren. The original (and present) church building was dedicated July 23, 1880. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places. In July, 1901, it was decided to annually celebrate the day of the founding of the Colony, July 23, 1870.
Sunday Morning Worship - 9:15 AM - Sunday School - 10:45 AM -
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of New Sweden was organized March 4, 1871, when 8 members met at the home of one of the original immigrants, Mr. Nels Olson, who became the first church leader. On August 27, 1892 the present church building was dedicated. Sunday School was started in Stockholm in 1897, and other Sunday Schools have been conducted in several areas over the years. In 1907 a chapel was built in Jemtland and in 1939 another chapel was built in the B & A section of town.
Sunday Morning Worship - 11:00 AM - Sunday School - 9:30 AM -Evening Worship (1st & 3rd Sundays of the month) 6:00 PM -Wednesday Prayer Meeting - 7:00 PMPastor: Rev. James Paulson - Phone (207) 896-3392
THE LARSSON/OSTLUND TWO STORY LOG HOUSE was built (c1870's) by the Noak Larsson family, and was owned and occupied by the George Ostlund family 1910-1989. Maine's Swedish Colony, Inc. purchased the 40 acre property in 1989, and the exterior of the house, potato cellar and garage have been restored. Restoration work is continuing. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic places.
THE LARS NOAK BLACKSMITH AND WOODWORKING SHOP was built by Lars Noak (the son of Noak Larsson) about 1900 on the hill known as Mt. Ararat. It is located across the road from the Log House. The Shop was operated until about 1940 and has been preserved in its original condition since then. Many demonstrations and "open house" functions are held during the summer months. This building is also listed on the National Register of Historic places.
THE CAPITOL SCHOOL is the last of the one-room school houses built in various sections of New Sweden in the 1920's, and is the only one retaining its original character. After it ceased to operate as a school in 1950, it served as the town voting place and housed the local Grange. The school contains original blackboards, teacher's desk, text books and student desks from the same era. In 1994 a Scandinavian Gift Shop opened in this building to benefit the restoration and maintenance of the buildings being restored by Maine's Swedish Colony, Inc.
NEW SWEDEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM. A large public building, called "Capitolium" was built by the Swedish settlers on a public lot on Capitol Hill in the fall of 1870. It served as the immigrant reception center, school, supply store, church and town hall. When a new town hall was built, the Capitolium became a Museum. It burned in June 1971, and was rebuilt by 1974. All of the artifacts and the large front doors were saved from the fire and are a part of the new building today.
THE LINDSTEN STUGA is a typical early immigrant log home. It was built in Westmanland as the original home of Karl and Kerstin Lindsten and their children, Annie and George. After a new frame home was built, the log cabin was used as a tool shed. In 1980 it was moved to its present location behind the New Sweden Museum and restored. It is furnished with many of the original family furnishings. Open house tours give visitors a view of the "way it was" in the early days.
THOMAS PARK owes its background to the generosity of W.W. Thomas, Jr. who deeded the land to the town for the purpose of having a community social gathering place. Through the efforts of many town volunteers, park benches, a dining hall, and a band shell were added.
THE UNITED STATES POST OFFICE first opened in Clase's Log Cabin, perhaps moved to the Museum bulding, then the Bernard Peason place. Around 1901 it was housed in Tornquist's general store. There was also a Post Office at "Nelson" on Andrew Nelson's farm on West Road for three years, 1905-1908. In 1914, the Capitol Post Office was consolidated with one in the re-located log Old Center School at New Sweden Station. The new and present Post Office building was opened January 11, 1970.
THE NEW SWEDEN CEMETERY grounds were deeded to the town and the New Sweden Cemetery Association was formed in 1905. A formal dedication was held on July 27, 1909. The first cemetery, dedicated July 24, 1870, is located behind the Museum. A large granite monument marks that area. It is engraved with the names of the first early burials.

Gamla Uppsala

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History

Before the arrival of Christianity in Sweden, Gamla Uppsala was the seat of Swedish kings and a ceremonial site known all over northern Europe. The settlement was home to royal palaces, a royal burial ground, and a great pagan temple.
The Swedish kings and their royal families were given elaborate funerals and rich burials in barrows near the temple. According to Norse pagan belief, burning the body in a great fire served to transfer the soul to Valhalla, the afterlife. As with many ancient burials found in northern Europe, rich grave goods were buried with the body for use in the afterlife.
Thus Odin established by law that all dead men should be burned, and their belongings laid with them upon the pile, and the ashes be cast into the sea or buried in the earth. Thus, said he, every one will come to Valhalla with the riches he had with him upon the pile; and he would also enjoy whatever he himself had buried in the earth... the higher the smoke arose in the air, the higher he would be raised whose pile it was; and the richer he would be, the more property that was consumed with him. (Yngling Saga, 9th cent.)
The Uppsala temple, which was described in detail by Adam of Bremen in the 1070s, housed wooden statues of the Norse gods Odin, Thor and Freyr. A golden chain hung across its gables and the inside was richly decorated with gold. The temple had priests, who sacrificed to the gods according to the needs of the people. The great god Thor governed weather, Odin governed war and Freyr oversaw pleasure, peace and marriages.
Human sacrifice was a regular part of the rituals at Gamla Uppsala. During the festival of Fröblot, which occurred at the winter solstice every ninth year, nine people (one per day for nine days) were hanged from a tree until their corpses rotted. Because of these sacrifices, every tree in the grove was considered sacred.
Another rite involved immersing a living man in a well—if the man disappeared, the gods would answer prayers.
The pagan temple at Uppsala was probably destroyed by king Ingold I in 1087, during the last battle between the pagans and the Christians. A church was built on top of the temple ruins, and this was the cathedral of Sweden until the archbishopric moved to Uppsala in 1273.

Uppsala Domkyrka (Uppsala Cathedral)

The Domkyrka (Cathedral) of Uppsala is the largest cathedral in all of Scandinavia. The twin-spired, rose-hued Gothic structure stands nearly 400 feet tall and boasts an impressive Gothic interior. Inside are the relics of St. Erik, several notable tombs, and a small museum of ecclesiastical treasures.

History

Begun in 1287, Uppsala Cathedral replaced the old, smaller cathedral in Gamla Uppsala. Intended to upstage the colossal Nidaros Cathedral in Norway, it took over a century to complete. Uppsala Cathedral was dedicated to the saints Lawrence (of gridiron fame), Erik (patron saint of Sweden), and Olaf (patron saint of Norway).
The cathedral was consecrated in 1435, with some construction still continuing afterwards. It was severely damaged in 1702 in a disastrous fire and restored near the turn of the 20th century. The twin spires are late 19th-century additions.