Lindsborg is rich in community, culture and opportunities
Popularly nicknamed “Little Sweden,” the city of Lindsborg is a cultural oasis deep in the heart of Kansas. “It’s a bit like living in Mayberry,” says Mari Loder, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Antrim-Piper Wenger Realtors who has sold hundreds of homes here. “It’s a very clean, vibrant and thriving community that’s family-oriented. I usually tell people that if they move to Lindsborg and they’re bored, it’s their own fault.” Nearly 3,800 people live in Lindsborg, many of them employed in the education, healthcare and manufacturing industries. “McPherson County ranks among the top five wealthiest counties in Kansas,” says Holly Lofton, director of the Lindsborg Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Families can find good jobs that pay well, so they’re comfortable and have a better quality of life overall.” Annual events, unique retail outlets and several cultural venues both bring the community together and tell Lindsborg’s rich story. “Everyone’s very kind and friendly,” Loder says. “I usually tell people that my best advice is for people to come and experience it, as, when I tell people how great it is, they don’t believe me.”
This city has a diverse and strong housing market
Lindsborg was founded by Swedish immigrants in the late 1860s, doubling as a farming settlement and as an enclave of Scandinavian culture. “There’s nothing cookie-cutter at all about the architecture in Lindsborg,” Loder says. “We have a little bit of everything, from 1895-built homes that have been redone with plumbing and electricity to brand-new housing.” Bungalow and ranch-style homes built from the 1880s to the 1980s have sold for between $120,000 and $430,000, while two-story homes and newer ranch-style houses go for between $170,000 and $750,000. “Even while the markets around us get sluggish, this market is strong and healthy,” Loder says. “We’ve been able to bring a lot of new families to town.” Lindsborg’s streets are arrayed in a grid pattern, and its streets tend to be flanked by sidewalks and abundant foliage. “You’ll find very few weeds on the sidewalk, as people have a very strong sense of pride in their community,” Lofton says. Lindsborg has a CAP Index Crime Score of 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 3.
Lindsborg has a wealth of outdoor recreation venues
In northern Lindsborg, Swensson Park includes a Viking-themed playground. The Valkommen Trail runs past a skate park and the Fredrickson Family Fitness Park, and the similarly named Valkommen Bridge literally “welcomes” hikers returning from the Meadowlark Trail. The Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum offers an open-air museum experience, allowing visitors to explore the 1904-built Swedish Pavilion and vintage false-front buildings as they stroll up a small pedestrian mall. “If you go just about 2 miles out of town, Coronado Heights in the southernmost of seven sandstone bluffs that extend out of Interstate 70,” Lofton says. “The Swedes used to visit here when they were homesick and take in the view, and it’s a very important spot for the community. We partner with Cosmosphere museum to bring their space telescope over to Coronado Heights.”
Local eateries show what "fika" is all about
Main Street is home to a small retail scene that includes Scandinavian-themed boutique stores and diverse eateries. “Lindsborg was settled by Swedish immigrants, and ‘fika’ is still very important to us,” Lofton says. “We celebrate that daily through getting coffee and sharing friendship time with our neighbors.” Crown and Rye specializes in Swedish cuisine, including Varmland-style “potato sausage” and classic Swedish meatballs. Next door, Indigo Moo’d Ice Cream hand-makes its ice cream in a building inspired by medieval Scandinavian architecture. White’s Foodliner serves as the local grocery store, and many of its items - from its cake mixes to its lutfisk - are imported from Sweden.
Swedish culture is celebrated throughout the year
This city hosts annual events like "Waffle Day" in March and Midsummer every June, hosting folk dances and food pop-ups. The biennial Svensk Hyllningsfest, or the “Swedish Honoring Festival,” is the largest of these cultural events, and it’s known for its parade, dancing and especially its traditional smorgasbord buffet. “It was started in the 1940s by residents who felt it was important to honor the hard-working people who ensured we could have the lives we have today,” Lofton says. “While it was originally a community celebration, people come from all over to take part in the dancing, costumes and food.”
Lindsborg's high school promotes cross-cultural connections
Soderstrom Elementary School receives a B-plus rating from Niche, while Smoky Valley Middle School and Smoky Valley High School each receive B ratings. "Probably about a fourth to a third of each graduating class participates in dancing, and it creates lifetime friendships as they travel together and work in bake sales together,” Lofton says. “High schoolers often get to serve as cultural ambassadors in Sweden and can meeting the descendants of their ancestors' brothers or sisters who did not choose to move.” Lindsborg is also home to Bethany College, a Lutheran college that offers a liberal arts education to around 600 students.
Lindsborg offers commuters a quiet home to return to
Lindsborg has easy access to Interstate 135, which connects commuters to Wichita 72 miles to the south and Salina 23 miles to the north. “People are very happy to drive even up to an hour to work outside Lindsborg, but this is where they want to come home and send their kids to the park on their bikes and not worry about them,” Loder says. This city is also home to the Lindsborg Community Hospital.
Written By
Jacob Adelhoch
