It’s a simple setup: One man (and a dog), one car, one caravan & one journey.
— a sole explorer going on a quest for "Swedish America".
“Letters from America" is a road trip podcast in search of the Swedish heritage in the United States - with weekly episodes on Apple and Spotify.
I am Martin Wærn, and in partnership with the Embassy of Sweden in Washington, DC, I am embarking on a twelve-month tour to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence by exploring the people and places of Swedish America through a series of weekly podcast episodes.
It’s a coast-to-coast (and back) assignment, through a Swedish America found in New Sweden, Maine, the Bronck House, Coxsackie, Mount Rushmore, South Dakota - and everything in between.
We’ll meet both well-known and everyday voices, sharing their stories through weekly podcast interviews alongside daily posts of all the mishaps, fortunes, lucky strikes, wrong turns, and right mornings that will shape us during the year.
We share a history. In hopes of a better future, approximately 1.3 million Swedes emigrated to the United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries, seeking to escape poverty and religious persecution. Some succumbed to the harsh conditions, while others succeeded, leaving significant marks on the country they "lived to love".
Texas Instruments, Greyhound Buses, and Indian Motorcycles have Swedish roots. The Mossberg family revolutionized the gun industry, and Lindberg crossed the Atlantic. We’ve earned seven stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, topped the Billboard charts, won Academy Awards, shaped the iconic Coca-Cola bottle, invented the propeller, worked with presidents, and painted Yosemite National Park. There’s a monument in Nome, Alaska, of the Three Lucky Swedes who kick-started the gold rush, a town called Stockholm in Wisconsin, and 8,700 Walgreens stores across the country.
- This is the journey to seek out their heritage.
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The name “Letters from America" is an homage to one of Sweden’s most beloved authors, Vilhelm Moberg, and the final book of his grand epos, The Emigrants: “The Last Letter Home”.
“The Swedish migration to the United States - over 1.2 million individuals seeking new opportunities - is a significant chapter in both nations’ histories. These pioneers not only overcame hardships but also contributed profoundly to American society, leaving a lasting heritage that continues to influence communities across the country today.”