HistoricAL Speaker Series
The 2024-2025 Historical Speaker Series is a primarily online set of presentations highlighting the rich depth of history and knowledge about Smoky Valley’s past! The series is developed and organized by the Smoky Valley Historical Association in cooperation with the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum and funded thanks to a grant from Humanities Kansas.
Each session is by free registration to the first 100 people to register using the forms below each presentation description. Those not able to register or who want to watch a speaker session that has already passed can see recorded video on the museum’s YouTube page.
Albertha Sundstrom – August 10, 2024
Albertha was well-known in Lindsborg as she was a long time teacher, she sang in the soprano section of the Messiah Festival for more than 60 years and was very important to the folk costume tradition in Lindsborg. She designed and created more than 200 folk costumes for various Lindsborg residents for the festival, Hyllningsfest. Albertha was a lifelong member of the Messiah Lutheran Church, sang in the church choir and was Sunday superintendent.
Presentation by Albertha’s grandson, Bruce Karstadt. Bruce grew up in Lindsborg and was the director of the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, MN for 33 years until his retirement in 2023.
This live presentation has passed. You can watch a recording of the presentation on our YouTube page or with the embedded video below.
Alma Swensson – 1:30 p.m., September 14, 2024
Alma Swensson was the wife of Bethany College’s first president, Dr Carl A. Swensson. Alma was the church organist and choir director for over 40 years, and over the winter of 1881 and 1882 she taught a choir of farmers, shopkeepers and homemakers still speaking Swedish the words and music of Handel’s glorious oratorio, The Messiah. Alma also served on the music faculty of Bethany College.
Presentation by Karen Humphry. Karen grew up in Minnesota and became enamored with history at a very young age. Karen’s husband, Rev Charles Humphrey, was called to be pastor of the Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg, Kansas. While in Lindsborg, Karen was appointed Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Bethany College. She has served on the Minnesota Historical Society.
This live presentation has passed. You can watch a recording of the presentation on our YouTube page or with the embedded video below.
Henry Lungstrom – 1:30 p.m., October 12, 2024
Machinist. Inventor. Genius.
Henry was born on a farm SE of Lindsborg in 1891. Henry’s 6th grade education and a curious nature led him into the world of manufacturing, working for Hagstrom Brother’s Manufacturing Co until 1930, when the firm sold the Lindsborg branch to him. Years later it was brought to light that the US government had hired him during WWII on a secret project to build the trigger system for three atomic bombs.
Presentation by Steve Borell. Steve, a Lindsborg native, grew up watching Henry and learning from the man who became a friend to his father and to him.
This live presentation has passed. You can watch a recording of the presentation on our YouTube page or with the embedded video below.
Swedish Churches of Southern Saline County – 1:30 p.m., November 9, 2024
Southern Saline County in Kansas was settled starting in 1868 by a group of Swedes from Värmland, Sweden, and a few years later a group from Galesburg, Illinois, led by Rev. A.W. Dahlsten.
Presented by Tom Holmquist. Tom is a retired teacher who taught music, history, and agriculture.
He has published three books on Swedish-American culture and history including; Pioneer Cross, Swedish Settlements Along the Smoky Hill Bluffs, 1993; Bluestem, 2000; and Salemsborg: A History of the Salemsborg Lutheran Church, 1869 -1939, 2019.
This live presentation has passed. You can watch a recording of the presentation on our YouTube page or with the embedded video below.
Rev. Carl Aaron Swensson (Reenactment) – January 2025 (Time and date TBD)
First president of Bethany College, Rev. Swensson was called to Lindsborg by the Synod to serve at the Swedish Bethany Lutheran Church after the departure of its founder, Rev. Olof Olsson. In 1879, at the age of 22, Swensson was installed as pastor. In 1881, he stepped out on his own to found Bethany College. Swensson died very suddenly in 1904 while on a trip to California.
This is a first-person portrayal by Jim Ruble. Jim has spent considerable time researching Rev. Swensson and his life.
This presentation is IN-PERSON at the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum at 120 E. Mill St., Lindsborg, Kansas.
Alma Luise Olson – 1:30 p.m., February 8, 2025
Alma was born and grew up near Lindsborg. She was educated at the Bethany Academy and Bethany College, from where she moved on to Chicago for graduate studies, and then moved to New York City to become a New York Times journalist and a correspondent, who would be headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden.
Presented by Karen Humphrey.
This presentation is ONLINE via Zoom.
Registration deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, February 7, 2025.
A recording of the presentation will be posted to the Museum YouTube Page the week following the presentation.
Amalia Rabenius – 1:30 p.m., March 8, 2025
Amalia was hired in 1900 to teach in the Model School at Bethany College. More specifically, she started a new program in Slöyd, a curriculum of manual training that teaches the use of a slöyd knife to make a variety of structured projects, usually in wood.
Amalia was born in Sweden in 1868 and immigrated with her brother to the US in 1896. She attended a teacher’s college in Näs, Sweden.
Presented by Dr. Marlysue Holmquist. Dr. Holmquist is a retired Bethany College professor. Dr. Holmquist has spent considerable time researching and documenting furniture made in the Slöyd under Amalia’s instruction.
This presentation is ONLINE via Zoom.
Registration deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, March 7, 2025.
A recording of the presentation will be posted to the Museum YouTube Page the week following the presentation.
