A shelf Lowell Torkelson carved in acanthus style and filled with some of his flat-plane figures.

Featured Stories

Visit Nordic America no matter where in the world you are with these exhibitions, photo essays, short films, and more that amplify the traditions and work of Scandinavian Americans in the region. These featured stories present Nordic America through the work and words of Nordic Americans themselves as they continue to practice and sustain traditions and folk arts here in the Upper Midwest. We hope you enjoy some of the stories highlighted here and encourage you to explore the rich traditions—both Nordic American and non—that make the Upper Midwest such a rich and culturally diverse region. And be sure to check out the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Culture’s YouTube page for more stories about the language and cultures of the region.

Photo Essays

Short Films

  • Gloria Johnson’s “Finnish bread with a Swedish touch”

      Gloria Johnson is known for her cardamom bread, but it was only about 10 years ago that she made her first loaf. For 55 years, Gloria and her husband Arnold raised strawberries and ran …

  • The Oulu Cultural and Heritage Center

      Oulu, Wisconsin, is a small town originally settled by Finnish immigrants in Wisconsin’s Northwoods. A group of residents formed The Oulu Cultural and Heritage Center in 2014 to preserve and share Oulu’s history and …

  • New Film about Nordic America

    In 1965, citizens of the small town of Ulen, Minnesota, founded the Ulen Historical Museum. Since then, the museum has continued to be run by an all-volunteer staff and become a central part of the …

  • Building the Bonfire: 2018 Juhannus Midsummer Festival

    As part of the 2018 summer field school—FOLKLORE 490: Field Methods and the Public Presentation of Folklore—students and instructors from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Finlandia University, and St. Olaf College volunteered at and documented the …