Around Swedish America in 
Day 30 - Winnipeg
When inexpensive or free land dried up in the United States towards the end of the 1880s, many Swedish Americans turned their sights on the Canadian Prairies. They then encouraged friends and relatives in Sweden to join them in making Manitoba, just north of the most "Swedish" state of Minnesota, the last big Swedish emigrant dream. Winnipeg reigned as Swedish Canada's most important city until the 1940s when it was overtaken by Vancouver.
In 1812 Winnipeg was comprised of Fort Rouge and a camp where Red River and the Assiniboine River meet. This was the year when the Fifth Earl of Selkirk wanted to drive away the buffalo hunting Metis and start farming the prairies. Lots of skirmishes ensued between the pioneers, among whom there were three Swedes, and the Metis. These eventually led to the massacre at the seven oaks that is considered to be the bloodiest incident in western Canada. 23 pioneers and soldiers were killed, among them Lieutenant Einar Holte. Jacob Fahlstrom and the blacksmith Micael Heden survived. Heden was later captured by the Metis but managed to flee while Fahlstrom moved to Minnesota and married an Indian chief's daughter.