Jenny Lind Chapel records

Collection

Identifier: MSS 168

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Jenny Lind Chapel records, 1851-1987 and undated (bulk 1962-1987), contains church documents, news clippings, photographs, and ephemera. Records have been arranged into five series: Church Services, Committees, Miscellaneous, Photographs, and Audiovisual Materials.

The Church Services series (1924-1987) contains pamphlets and booklets for annual services, such as Founders’ Day, Christmas, and Swedish morning mass. Also included are song selections and informational brochures from individual vespers.

The Committees series (1974-1987 and undated) includes lists of committee members, pastors, and trustees and meeting minutes from the board of directors. This series also includes correspondence related to the Jenny Lind Chapel Fund and Treasurer's reports.

The Miscellaneous series (1851, 1962-1985 and undated) contains a chapel guestbook, news clippings, and a ticket from a concert given by Jenny Lind in 1851.

The Photographs series (undated) contains photographs of the Jenny Lind Chapel taken by Erwin Weber, a retired professor of German at Augustana College, as well as black and white photographs of the exterior and interior of the chapel, the adjoining graveyard, a portrait of Jenny Lind, dedication plaques, and the surrounding historical area. Additionally, contact sheets and negatives are included.

The Audiovisual Materials series (1985 and undated) consists of one video recording of "The Church Has Been Planted:The Story of the Augustana Lutheran Church" and a sound recording of the church service on Augustana College's 125th Anniversary on 18 April 1985.

Dates

Creation: 1851-1987 and undated
Creation: Majority of material found in 1962-1987

Creator

Jenny Lind Chapel (Andover, Ill.) (Organization)

Language of Materials

English and Swedish

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from Augustana College Special Collections and the copyright holder.

Historical Note

The Jenny Lind Chapel was the first house of worship built by and for a Swedish Lutheran congregation in Andover, Illinois. Pastor Lars Esbjörn and ten Swedish settlers founded the congregation in the fall of 1850. Esbjörn traveled east, petitioning for funds to begin construction. He collected $1,500 from the internationally famous Swedish singer Jenny Lind, who was on tour in America at the time. Known as the “Swedish Nightingale,” the chapel’s benefactress and namesake funded construction for a building she would never even see.

The chapel was dedicated on Advent Sunday, 3 December 1854. Unlike other Lutheran churches, it has no steeple; the wood from the steeple was used to build coffins during a cholera epidemic. In 1868, the church was converted to a schoolhouse and meeting place, as the congregation had grown too large to accommodate church services there. The chapel became the property of the Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod of North America in 1960 and was recognized on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Modern day services such as Högmässa, said and sung in Swedish, and Founders’ Day celebrations are still held at the chapel.

Extent

0.6 Cubic Feet (/ 1 box and 1 AV box)

Additional Description

Abstract

The Jenny Lind Chapel was the first house of worship built by and for a Swedish Lutheran congregation in Andover, Illinois. Pastor Lars Esbjörn and ten Swedish settlers founded the congregation in the fall of 1850. The chapel still stands and holds services as of 2016. The Jenny Lind Chapel records, 1851-1987 and undated (bulk 1962-1987), contains church documents, news clippings, photographs, and ephemera. Records have been arranged into five series: Church Services, Committees, Miscellaneous, Photographs, and Audiovisual Materials.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Immediate source of acquisition unknown.

Related Materials

MSS 1 Lars Paul Esbjörn family papers Jenny Lind Chapel Museum, Andover, Illinois Collection I/O:1b, Jenny Lind Chapel records, Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Rock Island Illinois Collection I/O:8, Jenny Lind Chapel Committee (Andover. Ill.) records, Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Rock Island Illinois Collection SAC P:29, Hortense Lindorff papers, Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Rock Island Illinois