A Saturday off, and the possibility of great weather for February, why not take a road trip? This time we decided to check out Lindsborg, also known as “Little Sweden,” thanks to its Swedish, Nordic, Scandinavian, and German influences.
Lindsborg began with a settlement in 1869 by a group of Swedish immigrants, led by Pastor Olof Olsson. The town’s name, Lindsborg, translates to “Linden Castle” from Swedish, a nod to the linden tree, known for its significance in European culture. Interestingly, the town is named after four influential men with “Lind” in their surname.
Lindsborg embraces its Swedish heritage with cute gift shops offering Swedish souvenirs and the iconic Dala horse.
Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum
The museum was originally the Smoky Valley Roller Mills. The mill was built in 1898 for wheat flour production, it closed in 1955. In 1962, the building was donated to McPherson County. After seven years of restoration the mill opened as a museum.
The museum has several displays about the town’s history. Including some sorta weird sculptures.
The mill was an impressive sight. I had no idea what most of the equipment was used for, but the woodwork was fantastic. I am so glad the city was able to preserve it.
Rock in a cage
According to roadsideamerica.com, the Rock in a Cage was discovered during a road-building project in the 1960s. The rock was initially believed to bear Native American petroglyphs until further inspection revealed it to be the handiwork of an early 1800s traveler. Despite the misidentification, the rock remains behind bars.
Legend has it that the Rock in a Cage harbors a mischievous streak, with locals sharing tales of its violent temper and even attributing grisly incidents to its supposed wrath. Despite such lore, the staff is said to playfully refer to it as being in “time out” for its naughty behavior.
St. Louis World’s Fair Swedish Pavilion
One building I found particularly interesting was Lindsborg’s Swedish Pavilion. It was originally built for the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. It was later donated to Bethany College, in honor of Dr. Rev. Carl Aaron Swensson, its founder. The pavilion served the school for years as classrooms, a library, and the art department. The building was moved to its current location in 1969.
Interesting note about the World’s Fair. The X-ray, the infant incubator, and electric streetcars were unveiled to the public for the first time.
Crown & Rye
We had lunch at the Crown & Rye. The service was excellent. I had the Varmlanskorv. It was potato sausage cooked with more potatoes, bacon, onions, soaked in butter and covered in braised cabbage. I liked it, it was something different and tasted great, but by the end of the meal it felt a little heavy on the grease.
Jeremy went totally Swedish and got the chicken fried steak. His was also very good. Jeremy also asked if he could try a meatball, you know a Swedish meatball. The meatball was the star of the meal, so next time we go, and we will be back, we’ll definitely get the Kottbullar which sounds a lot like stroganoff from the description on the menu.
Courtyard Gallery
This was a cute little building. It looked like an Alpine cabin on the outside, but once inside it feels and looks like a small alley between buildings complete with a brick road. A large chunk of the building is the Courtyard Gallery. The employee was very sweet and said that all the artists on display were Kansas-based. That was great. We saw some interesting pieces we would have loved to take home.
Once you leave the gallery, head down the brick road a little further to an open courtyard which is the home of Indigo Mood Ice Cream. Thanks to Crown & Rye, we were too full to eat, but the flavor options were on point.
Hemslojd Dala Horse Factory
Just like the business’ name implies, this is a factory that creates Dala horses of all sizes by hand. The artists were not working on the Saturday we were there, but I still grabbed some pictures of the area.
The store also sells a ton of Swedish, Scandinavian, and Viking stuff. I grabbed two shot glasses and was happy with my purchase.
Smoky Hill Vineyards
This is a tasting room on the main street. We went in and the hostess was great, she gave us some great tips, like a wine aerator, genius. Jeremy tried a few red wine samples.
They were dry, which is what he likes, to me, and dry wine is like liking a shag carpet. I prefer sweet white wines. Jeremy grabbed a bottle of wine and was happy with his purchase.
Wild Dala Horse Herd
Wichita has its “Keepers on Parade,” Chicago has its cows and Cleveland still has some guitars standing. In Little Sweden, it’s all about the Dala Horse Herd.
According to the paperwork, there are about 30 horses around town. The Dala Horse, known for its vibrant colors and intricate designs, holds a cherished place in Swedish culture and history.
Originating from the Dalarna region of Sweden in the 17th century, these wooden horses were initially crafted by woodworkers during long winter nights. Symbolizing strength and prosperity, they became popular gifts and soon evolved into a symbol of Swedish identity worldwide.
Ol Stuga
As you can imagine, in a small town there are not a lot of bars. But Lindsborg has a great little bar. This was one we knew we had to visit. It’s been serving food and drinks to the townspeople and the college kids from Bethany since 1977.
According to an article in the Herington Times on November 3, 2005, former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev stopped by for a drink. He was in town promoting “Chess for Peace.” The Russian leader signed autographs, took pictures, and had a vodka and cranberry, which the Ol Stuga calls a “Gorbatini.”
I only wish we could have had a bite to eat, but we were still full of the grub at the Crown & Rye. We wanted to taste the famous “Trust Me” Sandwich. The story goes, customer Brent Nelson asked the cook “to make something delicious.” Nelson kept ordering it, and it became popular with the name, “Trust Me.”
Coronado Heights
Coronado Heights is near the point where, according to legend, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado ended his quest for the seven cities of gold.
A stone shelter resembling a castle, was constructed in 1936 through the Works Progress Administration.
This was not my first visit to Coronado Heights. I did a day trip to Lindsborg 20 years ago and stopped at the creepy castle. I say creepy, because it’s dark and dank and I was all alone in the middle of nowhere. It was in rough shape; years of abuse and graffiti were ruining the historic place. Since then, the area has been fixed up. It’s much nicer than it was, although some light would be nice.
Thanks to Lindsborg and all the wonderful people we visited during our day trip.
