Name/Title
RecordsEntry/Object ID
2024.1.17F2Scope and Content
Membership Records relating to the Swedish Club of Chicago, dated 1960-1981.Context
The Swedish Club of Chicago had a long and diverse history. The club was born in 1882 when a group of Swedish immigrants, members of a former Swedish organization, joined together to form a social club called "Svenska Klubben". Groups of Swedish Americans from several different organizations joined together in this social club. The sale of stock in 1893 led to enough funds for the club, with its increased size, to purchase its clubhouse building at 1258 North LaSalle Street in Chicago. In 1923, Svenska Klubben applied for incorporation in Illinois and changed its name to the Swedish Club, and shortly thereafter it purchased the building from its landlord.
The Swedish Club held many yearly social activities, ranging from club meetings to parties and special dinners in honor of important individuals (such as several Swedish royals). The Club also held other events such as concerts and holiday events. Art exhibitions put on by the Club helped raise awareness of Swedish and Swedish American artists both within the Swedish American community and within the general population as well. As members aged, membership started to decline, falling greatly in the 1970s and 1980s. With increasing property tax costs for the Club building and a dwindling amount of members and funds, the Swedish Club was disbanded in 1984. An auction held in the spring of 1984 gave away all of the Club's possessions, with many ending up as donations for the Swedish American Museum.Acquisition
Accession
2024.1Source or Donor
Found in collectionAcquisition Method
Found in collectionLexicon
LOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials
Clubs, Finance, Menus, Photographs, ExhibitionsSearch Terms
Swedish Club of Chicago, Associations, institutions, etc.--MembershipArchive Details
Date(s) of Creation
1930 - 2011Archive Size/Extent
5 linear inchesRestrictions
The collection is open to research with restrictions. The collection contains sensitive and personal information.Primary Language
Swedish, EnglishCopyright
Copyright Details
Owned by the Swedish American Museum.
Certain works may be protected by copyright not governed by the Swedish American Museum.Reproductions
Notes
Reproduction of the Museum's archives for publication, commercial use, or distribution requires written permission.
