The transition of moving from one country to another can be an especially difficult one. It takes time to adapt to a new culture, and amid the hustle and bustle of getting situated in your new country, it can be difficult to preserve your old culture. Erlander Museum eases this transition for immigrants from Sweden by proudly displaying works of art from their homeland, and not shying away from the attention this may cause. Erlander shows that people shouldn’t be afraid of their culture, but rather should embrace it, because it is what makes us unique.

Another way the Erlanders had a profound impact on the Rockford area was when John Erlander founded the Union Furniture Company in 1876. Soon after its creation, P. A. Peterson, one of Rockford’s most important industrialists joined the company as corporate secretary. This addition helped the company to flourish, and by 1900, Union Furniture employed over 200 men. It proved to be not only one of Rockford’s most important furniture manufactures, but also one of the longest lived, lasting over seventy years.

The employment of such a large workforce drew many immigrants seeking jobs to the Rockford. Through this, and other reasons, Union Furniture Company played a major role in the early development of our city.

Also, as a prominent figure in society, John Erlander was a distant relation of the Swedish Prime Minister, Tage Erlander, who holds the record as the longest serving Prime Minister in any western democracy. Their relationship steadily grew over the years, and in 1952 Tage Erlander took a tour of the United States at John Erlander’s urging. The Prime Minister’s visit greatly strengthened the political bonds between America and Sweden, all thanks to John Erlander.

Jason Febery
Designer and Student Leader