Against all hopes, Bellegard, the Swedish farming oasis, never truly became a town. But in symbiosis with Mariadahl, both “towns” persisted for approximately 30 years before Bellegard dissolved. Their union was the only thing that kept either town…
With the general store as the heart of town, Bodaville served as both a home and a stopping point for travelers. Sources for this study include interviews, newspapers, maps, photographs, and firsthand accounts of the town of Bodaville.
Mariadahl, named after the Swedish founder's mother, meaning "Valley of Mary" grew on the cornerstone of the Swedish Lutheran church that called parishers to worship every Sunday by the sound of its beautiful bell.
Playing a major role in the railroad industry throughout the middle portion of the country, Sherman was a community inhabited by a wide range of ethnic groups. It saw a boom in economic activity but unfortunately, fell victim to a common die out of…
Swedish settlers founded Walsburg in 1866, naming it after nearby Walnut Creek. A small Swedish community grew there for decades. However, after the Union Pacific Railroad left town in 1935, Walsburg declined and became a lost community.
