towns named after towns in the old country such as Falun or Mora. Many businesses have Swedish names advertised along the road. One is Bergquist Imports in Cloquet. They sell Swedish post boxes, wooden Dala horses and other Scandinavian crafts and souvenirs. Outside the store an enormous Dala horse is attracting passers-by. Above the Dala horse the Swedish and American flags fly side by side. Although the United States seems smaller in my mind today, it is of course as big a country in reality as I used to think. It becomes more evident in the big cities such as Chicago or Los Angeles. Cities in which you could need a day if you have business on the other side of town, especially if you get stuck in traffic. Along the highways it is different. Many times it is even enjoyable being far from the goal of your trip. To get to Hibbing I flew to Minneapolis and continued by car north to Hibbing. It is a three and a half hour ride, well worth the trip. A 1966
A big Dala horse attracts passers-by to Bergquists Imports.
Chevrolet Impala brought me to Hibbing and its owner Carl Eubel. Carl is an old school gentleman of German heritage. He does not own a computer or a cell phone. He told me his grandmother never learned English. She only spoke German but Carl never learned the old language himself. A broker advertised the car for him and our communication first went through the broker before we set up an appointment to meet at Carl’s house in Hibbing. Old school sellers usually mean well-maintained cars. Some car buffs enjoy restoring cars, some want them upgraded to modern standards, others are looking for a pristine, original, untouched classic to drive on a sunny day and want to keep it for life. Carl's philosophy was to buy a nice car to tinker with, enjoy it for a few years and then sell it and swap it for another car. The Impala met the description he had presented. The body panels lined up straight, it was all solid also underneath, it had a beautiful paint job and interior. Carl kept it in good mechanical shape. He still had the original sale comtract and other documentation
En resa längs Minnesota 37 gör det lätt att förstå att många inspirerats till att göra sånger om amerikanska vägar.
A ride along Minnesota 37 makes it easy to realize where the inspiration for many American songs came from.
Many towns in Minnesota, especially smaller, have been named after Swedish towns.
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a lot to see if you get a kick out of highway romance and enjoy old roadside diners and gas stations, regardless if they are in operation or abandoned.
Hibbing is also known for the Greyhound Bus Line which was founded there by Swedish immigrant Eric Wickman from Dalecarlia, or “Dalarna” in Swedish. In these parts of the U.S., Swedish family names prevail. If you ask the younger generation they sometimes seem uncertain of their heritage and where their family names come from. The importance of their ancestry has diminished over the generations. But for many of the older generation the history is paramount. Swedish influence is also present through the many