If you know anything about Rockford at all, you probably would know that the majority of citizens in Rockford are Swedish. There are many people who, if you were to ask them about their genealogy, would say they come from a Swedish background. Also, if you were to come and visit Rockford, you shouldn't be surprised if you run into someone with a Swedish accent. A particularly likely place that this encounter would occur would be Erlander Museum, which is dedicated to the preservation of the Swedish Culture.

John and Inga Stina Erlander were some of the first to emigrate to Rockford from Sweden when they came here in 1854. In 1870, when their daughter Mary was born, the Erlanders began construction on their fourteen-room brick house. Today, it is filled with antique beauty and simple items that show the history of the Erlanders and the Swedish people. The house is filled with borders and designs of Mary Erlander, who became a famous artist. The home also boasts a Dolcette, a magnificent type of piano. There are only two in the world, and the other one is in the Smithsonian! Mary lived in the house until 1951, when its ownership passed on to the Swedish Historical Society.

Erlander Museum was dedicated by the Prime Minister of Sweden, who was a relative of John Erlander and had traveled all the way from Sweden to perform the ceremonial dedication. In the recent years, Erlander has remained a hotspot for family gatherings and school field trips, and it continues to enlighten all members of our community to the importance of one’s culture.

Jason Febery
Designer and Student Leader