Julia Dooley describes the 325th commemorative banner she designed and made for Old Swedes:
“The basic structure of the banner is inspired by the church’s stained glass windows – paintings in glass framed in rich dark tones. Colors for the banner are in keeping with the blue and gold tones that define all things Delaware and Wilmington’s ties to its Swedish colonial history.
For the background of the banner, I wanted to honor the historic Delaware watershed by showing the location of the church (marked with the star) along the Christina River near its confluence with the Brandywine Creek just upstream from the Delaware River. Consider a time when these waterways provided the Lenni Lenape and other Indigenous Peoples with food and other resources, an efficient means of transportation, and trade routes… On the banner, the church buildings itself is shown from the perspective that would have been seen from the river, rather than the road that we now associate with the church’s ‘front entrance.’ The crosses in each of the banner’s four corners remind us that with all its historical significance, Old Swedes Church is anchored in Christianity – it was, and still is, a house of worship.
The neighborhood that surrounds Old Swedes is an ever-evolving community, and as with the banner’s mudcloth frame, celebrates its vibrant African roots and rich history. Known as bogolanfini, this textile’s name translates to something like earth in cloth. It is hand woven and dyed with fermented mud and plant dyes by the Bamana people of Mali.
The history of Old Swedes Historic Site dates back to 1638, when Swedish and Finnish settlers arrived on the ships Kalmar Nyckel and Fogel Grip and established Fort Christina in what is now Wilmington, Delaware. Our site was used as a burial ground for the Fort, but also holds signs of earlier use by the Lenape Native Americans. Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church was constructed 1698-1699 to serve the Swedish community that remained in the English colony of Pennsylvania after Swedish Lutheran missionary Erik Björk arrived in 1697.
Standing the test of time, Old Swedes Church is one of the very few surviving remnants of the New Sweden Colony in the Delaware Valley, and one of the oldest structures in Delaware. It has borne witness to many major events in U.S. history, including the American Revolution, World Wars I & II, and many more. Many individuals significant to local and national history are buried here.
Old Swedes Church and its burial grounds are complemented by the Hendrickson House, dating back to c. 1722. Built by a Swedish-American family in former New Sweden, it originally stood in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania. The structure was preserved and relocated to our site in 1960 to serve as a museum, office, and research space.
We invite all to come and discover our story firsthand. Learn more about visiting Old Swedes.