[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 5, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S870]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      SENATE RESOLUTION 43--HONORING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
                   ESTABLISHMENT OF LINDSBORG, KANSAS

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

                               S. Res. 43

       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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