Hjemkomst Center to host Bergstrom exhibit

The Historical and Cultural Society of Moorhead, Minn., presents “Peter Bergstrom: Swedish Immigrant Worker and Entrepreneur,” a traveling exhibit about a Swedish immigrant’s pursuit of the American Dream as told through letters written to a pen pal in Sweden. The opening is from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Hjemkomst Center with brief remarks at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The exhibit grew out of a classroom project of Dr. Joy Lintelman’s Scandinavian Immigration course at Concordia College. Lintelman discovered a collection of letters written by Bergstrom at the Swedish Emigrant Institute in Växjö, Sweden.

Lintelman incorporated the letters into her class and supervised students’ research, and the students prepared a website as their final project.

The website served as the preliminary research which was recently completed by Lintelman and intern Jennifer Battcher, a 2011 history graduate of Concordia College.

HCSCC staff worked with Lintelman and Battcher to turn the research into the exhibit, which consists of eight retractable banners.

Any organization interested in renting the exhibit for $100 plus shipping should contact executive director Maureen Kelly Jonason at 218-299-5511, ext. 6732, or Mau reen.jonason@ci.moor head.mn.us

Tags: diversions, arts