{"product_id":"roots-of-john-morton-in-finland-copy","title":"Glorious Story of Finns in America","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGlorious Story of Finns in America\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e explores the remarkable contributions of Finnish immigrants to the building of America.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Finnish story in America spans nearly four centuries. The first Finns arrived in the 1630s–1650s as part of the New Sweden colony along the Delaware River, where they played a vital role in establishing one of the earliest European settlements in North America. In the mid-1800s, Finns contributed to the development of Russian Alaska, serving as craftsmen, sailors, administrators, and community leaders.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDuring the same period, Finnish immigrants—many of them Kvens from northern Norway and Finland—were recruited to work in the copper mines of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where they became one of the region’s most influential ethnic groups. The largest wave of Finnish immigration, known as the “Great Migration,” took place between the 1880s and the 1920s, when an estimated 300,000–400,000 Finns crossed the Atlantic. Settling primarily in the Midwest, Great Lakes region, and Pacific Northwest, they worked in mining, logging, farming, and industry while building vibrant communities across the nation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA later wave of immigration followed World War II, with many Finns settling in Florida, particularly in the Lake Worth–Lantana area known as “Finntown.” This thriving community became an important center for Finnish-American culture, business, and social life and remains one of the largest Finnish expatriate communities outside Finland.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThroughout American history, Finns have left a lasting legacy. Their descendants include John Morton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Finnish leaders helped establish Sitka Lutheran Church in Alaska in the 1840s, the first Protestant church on the U.S. West Coast. Finnish Americans also founded institutions such as Finlandia University in Hancock, Michigan, which served generations of students for more than 125 years.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom pioneering settlements and frontier communities to education, politics, business, agriculture, mining, and culture, Finnish Americans have played an extraordinary role in shaping the United States. This book celebrates their achievements and honors the enduring impact of Finnish heritage on American life.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sirpa Aho","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45598580605007,"sku":"9789523158702","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2094\/7031\/files\/Screenshot2026-06-08155019.png?v=1780948639","url":"https:\/\/shop.finlandiafoundation.org\/products\/roots-of-john-morton-in-finland-copy","provider":"North Wind Books at the Finnish American Heritage Center","version":"1.0","type":"link"}