Listening to the Past: Historic Interviews Collection

The lack of surviving firsthand accounts of the Turnblad family has always created a sense of mystery. With limited original documents, most information about the family has been gathered secondhand. 

To help fill in some of these gaps, ASI is pleased to share a growing collection of historic interviews now available on our collection’s website. Recorded by ASI staff and associates, these interviews provide insight into the early years of the Institute, the construction of the Turnblad Mansion, and the lives of its founding family. 

These recordings offer glimpses into the Turnblads’ world, mixed with humorous stories and personal anecdotes. They serve as a valuable resource for understanding daily life in the early 1900s, Swedish American society at the turn of the century, and the history of the Mansion. 

Originally recorded on audio cassettes between the 1960s and 1980s, these tapes were housed in ASI’s Wallenberg Library and Archives until they were digitized in 2023 as part of a grant-funded project. 

The collection features more than 70 interviews covering a range of topics related to Swedish American life in the Midwest. ASI’s dedicated volunteers have already transcribed over 10 hours of recordings, producing more than 300 typewritten pages. While the audio files may be long, the effort involved in researching and editing transcriptions is even more extensive. 

Six completed audio files and the accompanying transcripts are now available and more will be added as they are processed. Though much mystery remains, these firsthand accounts—from Mansion caretakers, family friends, and even the Mansion’s master woodcarver—help piece together the story of the Turnblad family. 

“We’re so excited to present this invaluable resource. These oral histories provide an incredible firsthand account of both the Turnblad family and ASI’s earliest days,” said Inga Theissen, ASI’s Director of Collections. “This project would not be possible without the efforts of our dedicated volunteers and supporting donors.” 

To listen to the recordings and read transcripts, please visit ASI’s online library and archives collections.