Scandinavian Roots Run Deep in Kingsburg

Kingsburg is a Swedish theme town with a downtown decorated in a Nordic motif, complete with a Viking and Dala horse restaurant. The water tower originally dates from 1911 and was modified in 1985 to resemble a giant coffee pot after a resident visited Stanton, Iowa, and saw its similarly modified water tower. It is 122 feet tall and visible from Highway 99. The 60,000-gallon vessel could fill 1.28 million coffee cups. The coffee pot is lit at night.

As you drive along State Route 99 through the Central Valley, you may spot a unique water tower. It’s shaped like a coffee pot, complete with handle and spout, and it watches over the town of Kingsburg, known to many here as “Little Sweden.” In this small community, Scandinavian culture and folklore live on in daily life and in an annual festival every May.

Swedes were by far the largest Scandinavian group to come to the Central Valley, along with smaller cohorts of Danes and Norwegians. They originally came to the United States seeking opportunity and more favorable land ownership policies than those at home. In Scandinavia, land was often left only to the eldest son, leaving many children unable to own property. They came to the U.S. and eventually to California in hopes of one day acquiring some of the Valley’s fertile land. 

In 1886, Andrew Erickson, a member of the Swedish Lutheran church, was sent by church leaders to California in search of a new homeland. He found in the Central Valley a Mediterranean climate and rich soil, perfect for growing fruit like peaches and grapes. Irrigation systems allowed the land to prosper. 

The H. Hansen family, one of the early Scandinavian settlers in the region, turned their twenty-acre James Ranch plot into a chicken farm. Even the youngest members of the clan had daily chores to complete while dad was preparing for his regular egg run into town – March 19, 1919. Photo courtesy of the Fresno City & County Historical Society and the Pop Laval Collection.  All rights reserved.

Erickson returned East with stories of the Central Valley’s rich farmland and plans to make his home in Kingsburg. Apparently, he was quite convincing, as a small band of Swedes came with him. Within a year, they founded the Valley’s first Lutheran church. By 1921, the census reported that 94% of the local population was of Swedish descent. 

In 1924, Kingsburg’s cherished annual Swedish Festival began, and continues today. Traditionally held on the third weekend in May, you can delight in Swedish coffee and pastry, try an authentic Smorgasbord, taste cucumber salad, sweet beans and butter potatoes without leaving the Central Valley. 

The ultimate Scandinavian immersion, traditionally held the third weekend in May, invites all to experience and taste the rich culture of Sweden in Kingsburg. This event is filled with entertainment, food and fun. It all begins on Thursday night with the pea soup and Swedish pancake supper. On Friday night, participants can enjoy a Swedish Smorgasbord and a Heritage Program. On Saturday, there is a festival with a parade, vendors and heritage activities.  Additionally, attendees can visit shops and restaurants on Draper St. in Downtown Kingsburg, where they will also find the Swedish Cultural Village, where you can discover food and craft booths and enjoy the entertainment.

To learn more about the annual Swedish festival that takes place this year on May 14 - 16, visit the Kingsburg Chamber of Commerce or follow them on Instagram @kingburgchamber.

This story is part of the Central Valley Community Foundation’s “Sixty Stories That Shaped Us” initiative to help mark 60 years since our founding. We invite you to join us in celebrating this milestone and this special place we call home. Learn more at centralvalleycf.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn @centralvalleycf.