There are about 50,000 Swedes in Chicago. The first Swedes came to America in 1637, settled in the State of Delaware, and a few years later, a colony was organized in the State of Pennsylvania.

Gustav Flack, the first Swede to arrive in Chicago, came here about 1843. In 1846 Mrs. Sara B. Larson arrived via the Prairie Schooner.

The first church was started in 1849, by Rev. Gustav Svenomus; later, in 1853, Rev. Erland Carlson started the Immanuel Svensk-Lutherske Church.

The oldest Swedish society is "Svea," organized in 1859. The Swedish glee club, the next largest society, was started many years later. Most of the Swedish 2immigrants were republicans.

Many Swedish papers were started and most of them were fairly successful. Here are the most important: Svenska Amerikanaren. Svenska Tribunen, Gamla Ock Nya Hemlande, Svenska Curiren, plus a number of monthlys.