Sign In

- Or use -
Forgot Password Create Account
Description

Promoting Swedish Immigration to North America.

This map, published in Sweden in 1869, is titled "Resekarta for Emigranter från Sverige till Norra Amerika" or "Travel Map for Emigrants from Sweden to North America." 

The charming map depicts North America and the route there across the Atlantic from Sweden. It is printed in blue and made by J. F. Olsson, a teacher at the Navigation School in Gothenburg. The pamphlet informs the Swedish emigrant about which professions are viable in America, how much things cost, how to apply for citizenship and other useful information.

Among other things, the author advises the less wealthy emigrant to settle in Minnesota, where there is still good land to be had at reasonable prices. "The emigrant who wants hard bread makes it a point to bring as large a supply of such bread as possible, since one is aware that a difficult change of diet in this case causes nausea". The author was an agent for "the Montreal Ocean Ship Company and the Grand Truck Railway". 

The map shows the shortest route from Sweden to North America, passing through the cities of Gothenburg, Hull, Liverpool, Quebec, and Portland, and also shows the longer route to New York. 

This map was published during a time of significant emigration from Sweden to North America. Many Swedes were looking to leave their homeland and make a new life in America, and this map and pamphlet were intended to help them navigate their way to their new homes.  We have previously had a similar Swedish emigration map, published in the late 1860s.

Rarity

The fact that it is a third enlarged edition suggests that it was a popular and useful resource for Swedish immigrants at the time. That being said, both the map and pamphlet are rare today.

We note examples of the pamphlet only in the Swedish National Library, which has both the 1868 and 1869 editions, and perhaps one other.