Little Sweden of USA

I have visited Lindsborg, Kansas off and on for four years. At first glance, there isn’t much to this little town with a population of around 3,300 people.

Lindsborg is known as Little Sweden due to its strong Swedish ties. The community was built by Swedish immigrants in the late 19th century. The culture is vibrant throughout the town.

My first trip to Lindsborg was with my husband and daughter in 2016. We traveled for six hours to visit Bethany College. My daughter was being recruited for the soccer program, so we visited during the offseason. The February air was cold and fierce.

Bethany College

Bethany College is a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America established by Swedish Lutheran immigrants in 1881. Its enrollment is around 760 students.

Both my son and daughter are students at Bethany. They are having completely different experiences, but are both athletes in the soccer program. One lives on campus and one off-campus. One thrives in the small-town community while the other longs for late nights in a bigger city. They’ve become friends with students from all over the U.S. and many international scholars. The tight-knit community of the college may differ in opinions and experiences, but the journey they are on is priceless.

The small, private college offers many fine arts and athletic programs. It is immersed in the city’s Swedish culture and highly supported by the community of Lindsborg.

The school offers an amazing program, The Good Life Scholarship, to those in the surrounding high schools. The four-year, full-tuition scholarship for graduates of McPherson or Saline County high schools is valued at $110,000.

Swedes to Sweden is a phenomenal learning opportunity for some of Bethany’s students. It is a free service-learning trip to Sweden where students will serve others but also learn about Sweden and its people.

Around Town

As you’ve probably guessed by now, our trips to Lindsborg had the sole purpose of visiting our children. We’ve made the trip over 20 times in the past four years, but rarely get passed the perimeter of the college. However, we’ve been downtown to eat and walk around on occasion and absolutely love this small town. If the Hallmark Channel is looking for a new location to film, I suggest Lindsborg, Kansas! The Christmas lights had just gone up on our last visit and I was mesmerized.

The Rosberg

The Rosberg House is a bed and breakfast with the homiest feel and personal touch. The Innkeeper, Sabrina, is a fantastic cook. She offers a variety of yummy breakfast choices. We opted for a simple egg and bacon meal before reluctantly leaving the charming home.

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The Rosberg House is a Victorian Queen Anne home built in 1885 and offers five luxurious bedrooms. We’ve stayed in two of them, O’Gilley’s and Master Suite. While the Master Suite is quite a bit larger, both rooms are elegant and charming.

You can enjoy the in-ground pool and hot tub, as well as the covered front porch, gazebo, balcony, and gardens. This setting is perfect for a quick getaway, girls’ trip, or college parents visiting the nearby college. My husband and I have already booked our room for our daughter’s upcoming graduation from Bethany College. The facility books quickly during the town’s festivals and college’s major events.

The Courtyard Bakery

Upon entering, The Courtyard Bakery I was in awe. The delicious smells that hit me when I opened the door had my mouth watering. The bakery offers cinnamon rolls, bread, muffins, cookies, Swedish baked goods, scones, turnovers, and tea rings. After identifying the delightful scent, I settled on a peanut butter cookie with rich peanut butter frosting that was just heavenly. I decided to try a shortbread cookie with coconut and it did not disappoint.

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I definitely felt as if I stepped back in time in The Courtyard Bakery. While they take credit and debit as payment, they have a cash honor system. I couldn’t believe my eyes!

The atmosphere is unique and charming with a Swedish feel. The bakery shares the space with an art gallery.

Ol Stuga

Ol Stuga is a full-service bar that serves tasty sandwiches. My first visit was in August of 2016. My daughter, a freshman at Bethany College, took me there for lunch. Apparently the favorite appetizer of the college crowd was chips dipped in Ranch dressing. While I wasn’t a huge fan, it is a big hit.

The atmosphere is quaint and reminds me of the old TV show Cheers’ theme song. My husband and I sat and watched customers come through the door and be greeted by name. While we are just passing through, that didn’t stop the bartenders in chatting us up and showing incredible hospitality. We stopped in twice on our last visit to Lindsborg, once in the afternoon to have a quick drink and then later in the evening with our college kids and their friends. It wasn’t packed on this visit. However, we visited during homecoming week in 2018 and it was standing room only.

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I noticed that there were dollar bills thumb tacked to the ceiling and became curious. I found out that it is a way to contribute to the college’s graduating class. They provided my daughter, son and me with a thumbtack each. We stuck the thumbtack through a bill and wrapped the bill around my husband’s wallet. We took turns launching it in the air. The thumbtack stuck the bills into the ceiling and the wallet came crashing down. I’ll be honest. Mine didn’t stick the first time, but I landed it on the second attempt.

The bar has a few pool tables and a jukebox. There is seating inside the establishment and in the connecting courtyard. If you find yourself traveling through Lindsborg, stop in for a drink or sandwich. I recommend asking for an Amaretto Sour. It was made perfectly.

I couldn’t locate a website for them but did find them on Facebook.

Hyllningsfest

During the four years I’ve been going to Lindsborg, this fun festival has hit twice. Unfortunately, I haven’t experienced it. I do feel it is worth noting because it is a huge event. I was in town while it was going on this year, but I only got a chance to walk down Main Street as it was wrapping up. I will refer you to a website to get more information and see the amazing photographs.

Hyllningsfest is the biennial celebration of honoring the Swedish immigrants. The festival features art, crafts, foods, music, and folk dancing. It even kicks off with a parade. Although I only caught the very tail end of the festival, I saw many children and adults in extravagant old Swedish clothing. People were laughing and dancing in the street. I only hope to experience it completely one day.

The Heights: Sunflower Trails

Every year, my daughter and her soccer teammates from Bethany go to a huge sunflower field to take pictures. I love seeing the photos and the beautiful sunflowers. I asked her to take me when I visited this past September. Unfortunately, the sunflowers were beginning to dry up, but we took photos and had so much fun. I’ll check them out again next year, but earlier. The Heights is also a wedding venue. Check out their website!

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Summary

If you are looking for a unique getaway experience, I encourage you to look at Little Sweden where you will find welcoming and friendly people and a herd of Wild Dala Horses. The Dala Horse is a symbol of authentic Swedish handicraft and one of Sweden’s most popular souvenirs. The Hemslojd gift shop is the place to get all things Dala Horse.

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Lindsborg, Kansas is a small college town with many fantastic finds. Main Street is the hub of the town and home of a hardware store, auto repair shop, cafes, coffee shops, a library, and so much more. You can view more information about Lindsborg here.