THE PURPOSE OF THE ARCHIVES. The purpose
as described in the Incorporation Document is for "Educational, historical
and research; to preserve and display and make available records, documents,
works of art, science, inventions and manufacture by persons of Swedish ancestry
and to promote public knowledge of an interest in the history of persons of
Scandinavian and particularly Swedish ancestry." The main purpose is
to preserve the records of the Vasa Order of America and its members. We have
set up a Family register where all Vasa members and their families will be
chronicled. The completion of the register will be an important phase of our
Archive activity. It will serve future generations in their search for ancestry.
Records, manuscripts and literature are not particularly exciting to view if a
person is not directly interested in researching such material. We have aimed at
making the contents of the building interesting to all visitors. Therefore we
have accepted a number of artifacts which relate to immigrant history. These
items provide visual objects for viewing. To name just a few items on display: a
replica of Biskopskulla Kyrka in Sweden to the exact scale of 1:100, a "besman"
made of wood from Sweden dating back to 1783 and one of iron, a replica of
Utvandrarmonumentet in Karlshamn, numerous photographs, paintings, crystal and
ceramic vases. We set up special displays from time
to time, relating to famous Swedish persons.