A Little History

Four years after Christopher Columbus discovered America, Gustav Eriksson Vasa was born on the 12th of May in 1496 at Lindholmen, Sweden to wealthy nobelman Erik Johansson and Cecilia (Månsdotter) Vasa. He grew up in a Sweden that was ruled first by King Hans and then King Kristian II of Denmark. However, all was not calm. In 1497, King Hans of Denmark interfered with a disbute involving Sten Sture the Elder and his people. King Hans marched into Stockholm and was crowned King of Sweden. In 1500, Sweden's nobles broke with King Hans. This led to war between the Swedes and the Danes who ruled them. It was in the beginning of February in 1521 that Gustav Vasa began the rebellion that would lead to Sweden's freedom from Denmark. In this year, as he hid from the Danes in Dalarna, he was elected leader of the Swedish rebels. With 4,000 men, he defeated the Danes in Stockholm. The Danes surrendered in 1523. Gustav Vasa was then elected and crowned King of a free Sweden on June 6, 1523.

June 6th remains dear to the hearts of the Swedish people to this day. Each year, the Swedes celebrate Swedish Flag Day on June 6th in commemoration of their freedom. On the 29th day of September in 1560, King Gustav Vasa died. He was buried in the Uppsala Cathedral.

Just as Gustav Vasa and George Washington saw the need to unite their countries, the founding fathers of the Vasa Order saw the need to unite the various independent sick-benefit societies into one organization. Over one hundred years ago in New Haven, Connecticut, the seed was sown. Over the next year, these men saw to it that it was watered, so that by the next year it had begun to sprout with four existing societies joining the fold. Remembering Gustav Vasa's courageous fight to unite his homeland, the name of VASA ORDEN OF AMERICA was chosen as the official name of this new organization.

Throughout it's 103 year history, it has experienced growth in most of the states of the our country, as well as, lodges in Canada and Sweden. In addition to the adult lodges, there has been growth seen in the children's clubs which were begun in 1921.

We are considered one of the largest districts in the Vasa Order and have 23 lodges in the four state region surrounding Lake Michigan - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

It was in January of 1908 when the first local lodge was organized. Within four weeks, six other lodges were organized. The district held it's first meeting on March 31, 1908 and chose "DISTRICT LODGE ILLINOIS NO. 8".

Over the 90 plus years as a district, we have seen growth and change - including our name. In 1994, the district at it's annual meeting elected to change the name to "DISTRICT LODGE LAKE MICHIGAN NO. 8".

In addition to the 23 adult lodges, we have 7 children's clubs scattered in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

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