The Swedes of Greater Brockton

Book excerpt: Swedes came to America filled with hope tempered by the uncertainties of new surroundings, customs, and language. The first Swede to arrive in Brockton, then North Bridgewater, was Daniel Larson (Lawson), in 1844. Since that time, Swedish immigrants and their descendants have left a profound and positive imprint on the character of this region. With an excellent collection of more than two hundred vintage images, The Swedes of Greater Brockton tells the unique story of the immigration to this area of Massachusetts. Greater Brockton was the shoe-manufacturing center of the United States, with such factories as W.L. Douglas, George E. Keith, and D.W. Field. These magnets of immigration drew thousands to the region. Within these pages, meet hundreds of these Swedish immigrants and their descendants. Join in their journey to America, visit their homes, churches, and places of business, and experience their leisure activities. Learn about the establishment of the "Swedish" churches-Lutheran, Congregational, Baptist, Methodist, and the Salvation Army-and see how the entrepreneurial spark in America caught fire in Brockton's Swedish community.