Swan Turnblad
Encyclopedia
Swan J. Turnblad was an American newspaper publisher. Turnblad is most associated with Svenska Amerikanska Posten, a Swedish language
newspaper once published in Minneapolis, Minnesota
.
, Kronobergs län
, Småland, Sweden. His family were farmers but following a series of bad harvests decided to immigrate to the United States in 1868 when Turnblad was the age of 8. The family settled in Vasa Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, where there was already a sizable community of Swedish immigrants. About 10 years later, he headed to Minneapolis, where he worked as a typesetter at several Swedish-language newspapers. Soon after arriving in the city he met another Swedish immigrant, Christina Nilsson. The couple married in 1883 and the following year Christina gave birth to her only child, Lillian Zenobia.
. After acquiring a duplex rotary color printing press
in 1903, Turnblad also included color illustrations. Under Turnblad's management circulation increased steadily. The success of Svenska Amerikanska Posten made Turnblad a wealthy man. His success in publishing together with his other investments eventually made him a millionaire.
, which was housed in his former residence, as a place to preserve Swedish customs and culture.
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
newspaper once published in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
.
Background
He was born Sven Johan Olofsson in Tubbemåla, Visalanda parishAlvesta Municipality
Alvesta Municipality is a municipality in Kronoberg County, southern Sweden. Its seat is in Alvesta.The present municipality was created in 1971, when the market town Alvesta was amalgamated with four surrounding rural municipalities. Amalgamations had also taken place in 1952 and 1963...
, Kronobergs län
Kronoberg County
Kronoberg County is a County or län in southern Sweden. It borders the counties of Skåne, Halland, Jönköping, Kalmar and Blekinge. Its capital is the city Växjö.- Province :For History, Geography and Culture see: Småland...
, Småland, Sweden. His family were farmers but following a series of bad harvests decided to immigrate to the United States in 1868 when Turnblad was the age of 8. The family settled in Vasa Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, where there was already a sizable community of Swedish immigrants. About 10 years later, he headed to Minneapolis, where he worked as a typesetter at several Swedish-language newspapers. Soon after arriving in the city he met another Swedish immigrant, Christina Nilsson. The couple married in 1883 and the following year Christina gave birth to her only child, Lillian Zenobia.
Svenska Amerikanska Posten
Turnblad worked for the Svenska Amerikanska Posten and after ten years became the sole owner of the newspaper. His brother, Magnus Turnblad, became editor of "Posten" in 1890. Turnblad was very interested in new technology and was the first publisher of a Swedish language newspaper to use a Linotype machineLinotype machine
The Linotype typesetting machine is a "line casting" machine used in printing. The name of the machine comes from the fact that it produces an entire line of metal type at once, hence a line-o'-type, a significant improvement over manual typesetting....
. After acquiring a duplex rotary color printing press
Printing press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
in 1903, Turnblad also included color illustrations. Under Turnblad's management circulation increased steadily. The success of Svenska Amerikanska Posten made Turnblad a wealthy man. His success in publishing together with his other investments eventually made him a millionaire.
American Swedish Institute
In 1903 Turnblad commissioned the building of a mansion in Park Avenue in Minneapolis. Turnblad had a firm design a 30-room mansion for him, his wife, and their daughter. Construction began in 1904 and the family moved into their new home in 1908. After Turnblad's wife died in 1929, he and his daughter moved across the street and turned their former home into a museum. Turnblad created the American Swedish InstituteAmerican Swedish Institute
The American Swedish Institute is a non-profit educational and research organization and museum in the Phillips West neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The organization is dedicated to the preservation and study of the historic role Sweden and Americans of Swedish heritage have...
, which was housed in his former residence, as a place to preserve Swedish customs and culture.
Other sources
- Gump, Gertrude. The Story of Swan Johan Turnblad ( Minneapolis, MN. : American Swedish Institute. 1976)
- Lewis, Anne Gillespie Turnblad's Castle (The American Swedish Institute. 1999)
- Anderson , Philip J. & Blanck , Dag, editors Swedes in the Twin Cities (Minnesota Historical Society Press. 2000)