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New Sweden in America
was founded in 1638, when the Dutch built Swedish ship Kalmar Nyckel,
carrying 24 settlers and a black freedman, landed on the banks of
the Christina river at "The Rocks," a site near to what is now
downtown Wilmington, Delaware. The first observance of Delaware
Swedish Colonial Day took place on June 27, 1938, at The Rocks, in
celebration and remembrance of the 300th anniversary of the landing.
On that day, Crown Prince Bertil presented the Carl Milles Kalmar
Nyckel monument to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, on behalf of
the people of Sweden.
The following year,
Delaware passed a law (Chapter 207, Volume 42, Laws of Delaware)
stating that the governor's office shall issue a proclamation each
year, designating March 29th as Delaware Swedish Colonial Day. The
Delaware Swedish Colonial Society was formed in 1940 to celebrate
Delaware Swedish Colonial Day by reminding Delawareans of the early
Swedes who first settled here, lived peacefully with the region's
Native Americans, the Lenni Lenape, and introduced the log cabin to
our shores. The first wreath laying ceremony to commemorate the
landing was held on March 29, 1940. For the last 68 years (with only
two exceptions) the Society has held a wreath laying ceremony at The
Rocks , near the date of March 29th, in memory of the early
settlers.
One of the more
notable celebrations of the landing took place in 1963, on the 325th
anniversary. A plaque, designating Fort Christina as a Registered
National Historic Landmark, was presented by Vice President Lyndon
B. Johnson. Additionally, a 200 year old Swedish log cabin was
placed in the park. On that same anniversary. Wilmington's sister
city, Kalmar, Sweden, presented a crystal block incorporating the
image of the Kalmar Nyckel to the Delaware Swedish Colonial Society.
The crystal block is on permanent loan to the American Swedish
Historical Museum, in Philadelphia.
The year 1988 marked
another major anniversary celebration - the 350th. A First Day of
Issue ceremony for a New Sweden commemorative stamp was held at the
Grand Opera House in Wilmington on March 29. Wreath Laying followed
at Christina State Park, attended by Governor Castle, Swedish
Ambassador Wilhelm Wachtmeister and Finnish Ambassador Paavo
Rantanen. That evening, The Delaware Symphony Orchestra presented
the world premier of Benjamin Lee's "Symphony No. 5, Kalmar Nyckel."
On April 13, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden
arrived by Royal Launch at Fort Christina Park, symbolically
retracing that first landing at The Rocks. Wilmington's Mayor
Frawley presented a plaque, to be placed in the Park, dedicated to
Black Anthony, a black freedman who came on the Kalmar Nyckel.
Our most recent
special celebration of the landing was the 365th Jubilee Celebration
of 2003. The event was actually held on two widely separated dates.
On April 5 we celebrated a commemorative wreath laying at the Milles
Monument with Swedish Ambassador Jan Eliasson and his wife Kerstin.
Later in the year, on November 8, we were honored by the visit of
Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and held
another observance of the first landing at "The Rocks" in Fort
Christina State Park. A unique "Peaceful Relations Ceremony" with
the Lenni-Lenape was held following the wreath laying.