Scandinavian Division Camps
In the late nineteenth century, many immigrants from Scandinavian countries arrived in the United States and joined or formed Salvation Army corps. The volume of immigrants was so great that entire corps were composed of these populations and spoke their native languages; Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, or Danish. These corps formed the Scandinavian Division from 1887 to 1965.
The Scandinavian Division had a network of camps across the Central Territory. The facilities mirrored the camp programs found in the English-speaking corps. These camps included; Chicagami, Hanging Horn, Shagbark, and Skogsbo.
By the 1960s, Scandinavian immigration had significantly declined, and most corps members had assimilated and spoke English. The Division closed in 1965 after it was determined that the Division no longer served its original purpose. The camps also closed over the years, except for Shagbark Camp which was absorbed by Wonderland Camp and still hosts campers today.
