Author: Tengyang Ruan

Program of study: Quantum Science and Engineering Program PHD, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering

 

A water tower painted in Swedish flag style. (Photo by the author)

Description: Are you interested in immigration history? This podcast explores the immigration history of Swedish people in Chicago and how their journey shaped the city by focusing on the Swedish American Museum. At the same time, other immigrant groups also left deep cultural footprints.

 

 

Transcription (provided by the author):

Welcome to the ELI’s Finding Chicago Global Perspectives Podcast Series for AEPP 2025. I’m your host, Tengyang Ruan, and I’m currently enrolled in the University of Chicago’s Pritzker school of Molecular Engineering.

Today  I will talk about the immigration history of Swedish people. Did you know that at one point, Chicago had more Swedes than any city in the world except Stockholm?

Last week,   we visited the northern neighborhood in Chicago,  called Edgewater. I learnt a lot from the Swedish museum. The museum is located on a busy street where there is a water tower painted with a yellow and blue cross,  resembling the Swedish flag. After stepping to the second floor,  there spread a beautiful scene that a Swedish family was sailing on the sea and heading to their destination—the United States. After this scene,  history slowly unfolds.

Population in Sweden doubled and job limited between 1750 to 1850,  more and more Swedish people decided to move out of their hometown. Can you believe that only 40 Swedes were in Chicago in 1848? And later,  the population boomed fast. There formed a Swedish town in northern Chicago. Unluckily,  the great fire almost ruined the whole city in 1871,  after which Swedes moved north and finally aggregated at Andersonville. That’s where the museum is located.

From 1880 to 1930,  there was a big immigration wave. Swedes built churches,  established newspapers and social clubs. Various traditional Swedish food was brought to Chicago. Cultural anchors were mounted at this city. And at that moment,  Chicago was almost the world’s second Swedish city. During the day I visited the museum,  I noticed that there were a lot of Swedes dressed in suits attending a social club. Besides,  on the third floor,  there is a classroom where children can learn to paint and have a place to play. I think the museum has already become the home and social center for Swedes.

I was also impressed with the contributions they made to the US. At an early stage,  Chicago was known for the center of transportation. A lot of Swedes were working on canals and railroads. They traded their sweat for survival. During World War two,  they served in the army,  fought for the US. They traded their blood for justice. They were not only foreign residents but also linked themselves to the destiny of the city.

The most touching things were that I was not only learning the history of Swedish immigration but also vivid individual stories. I noticed that the museum exhibits certificates of citizenship and family photos. Not the timelines,  the voices. Citizenship certificates lie under glass like inked vows,  black-and-white faces holding a steady gaze. A wall of names reads like a coastline,  every letter another shoreline crossed. In the corner a small phonograph crackles to life—and families speak: they say their names,  map the passage to Chicago,  name first wages and night shifts,  the bricks they lifted,  the rooms they opened. History grows a heartbeat. Paper turns to breath. I left with their courage in my pocket.

Chicago holds the most diversity. Different people of different races moved here and considered it home. Except Swedish town. There were China town,  Korean town,  little Italy and so on. As far as I know,  many Chinese opened laundries,  restaurants,  groceries,  meeting the needs of daily life. Many Koreans became entrepreneurs. And many Italians worked in construction, railroads,  contributing to the modern Chicago. All races hold their unique immigration history. Those histories are more than numbers or old documents—it’s about people leaving home to build new lives,  and in doing so shaping the identity of a city.

Today,  I can see diverse people live here and contribute together to making Chicago the third largest city in the US. In the lab,  a professor from Switzerland works alongside researchers from Korea,  and many more. Outside,  by the food truck,  chefs from Mexico prepare South American dishes for immigrants from Europe,  Nepal,  and China. Beneath everyone’s feet lies the same beach,  and above their heads stretches the same sky. Chicago’s strength comes from its diversity,  from every community that has called it home. Thanks for listening! Hope we can meet in the future!