[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 43 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 43

   Honoring the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Lindsborg, 
                                Kansas.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 5, 2019

    Mr. Moran (for himself and Mr. Roberts) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

                           February 28, 2019

             Committee discharged; considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Honoring the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Lindsborg, 
                                Kansas.

Whereas February 20, 2019, marks the 150th anniversary of the establishment of 
        Lindsborg, a town in McPherson County, Kansas;
Whereas, in 1868, Kansas was known as ``the great American desert,'' as it was 
        reported that it never rained in Kansas, and upon organizing the first 
        Swedish Agricultural Company in April 1868, Chairman John Ferm said, 
        ``If God is going to let us settle in Kansas, he will give us rain.'';
Whereas, after claims were filed in May 1866 in the general area that was to 
        become Lindsborg, the Swedish Agricultural Company entered into a 
        contract for the purchase of 16,000 acres of land from the Kansas-
        Pacific Rail Road Company;
Whereas, in December 1868, a call to Sweden for settlers was sent and a 
        promising young pastor named Dr. Olof Olsson was chosen to lead a large 
        group of settlers the next spring;
Whereas, on January 20, 1869, the Swedish Agricultural Company settled the site 
        that was to become Lindsborg and the development of the land and farming 
        commenced;
Whereas, the Swedish Agriculture Company, with several members of the Company 
        having ``Lind'' in their surname, determined the name of the settlement 
        to be ``Lindsborg'' on February 20, 1869, and, the members having 
        fulfilled their role, the Swedish Agricultural Company was dissolved 
        shortly thereafter;
Whereas Pastor Olof Olsson and a group of 100 Swedish immigrants from the 
        Varmland province of Sweden arrived at the settlement on June 27, 1869;
Whereas Lindsborg is widely known as ``Little Sweden'' due to its Swedish 
        traditions and population of Swedish immigrants;
Whereas the Sesquicentennial Festival Committee for Lindsborg has declared the 
        theme for 2019 to be ``Sweden to the Plains--Living the Legacy'';
Whereas Svensk Hyllningsfest is a biennial festival celebrating the Swedish 
        heritage of Lindsborg with arts and crafts, special foods, ethnic music, 
        traditional folk dance and dress, and other Swedish entertainment;
Whereas King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden visited Lindsborg during his royal tour 
        of the United States in April 1976; and
Whereas the Swedish immigrants who settled in Kansas endured harsh weather 
        conditions to establish Lindsborg and the people of Lindsborg have 
        continued to maintain their Swedish heritage, making Lindsborg a 
        cultural destination: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) honors Lindsborg, Kansas, on the 150th anniversary of 
        its establishment;
            (2) commends the men and women who have made Lindsborg the 
        town full of rich culture it is today; and
            (3) honors the immigrants of the Varmland province of 
        Sweden for settling in Lindsborg.
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