The 2024-2025 Historical Speaker Series at the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum is a primarily online set of presentations highlighting the rich depth of history and knowledge about Smoky Valley’s past.

March’s session is Amalia Rabenius. Amalia was hired in 1900 to teach in the Model School at Bethany College. She started a new program: Slöyd. The word slöyd is derived from the Swedish word slöjd, which translates as crafts, handicraft, or handiwork, referring primarily to woodwork.

This 2:00pm online presentation is given by Dr. Marlysue Holmquist, retired Bethany College professor who has spent considerable time researching and documenting furniture made in the Slöyd under Amalia’s instruction.

The Historical Speaker Series is developed and organized by the Smoky Valley Historical Association in cooperation with the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum and funded thanks to a grant from Humanities Kansas.

Each session is free, but registration is required. A recording of the presentation will be posted to the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum’s YouTube account the week following the presentation.

Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum is located at 120 E. Mill Street. The Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum celebrates and preserves the pioneering spirit of the Smoky Valley by educating, entertaining, and building community across generations so that history comes to life. With special emphasis on the period from 1870 to 1910, the museum includes two buildings on the National Register of Historical Places and extensive archives and artifact collections. The museum seeks to honor the rich story of Lindsborg and its people.