Olivia
Olivia, Calhoun County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Established in 1892, the community of Olivia was named for Olivia Haterius, wife of the Rev. Carl J. E. Haterius, a Swedish Lutheran minister who bought land in the area and advertised a new settlement to other Swedish immigrants in the Midwest. Twelve Swedish families responded to the initial advertisement and moved to Olivia with others following in a few years By 1900 a number of non-Swedish families had settled here, as well. The first public building in Olivia was a one-room schoolhouse where children were taught during the day and parents attended classes at night to learn English. The Eden Lutheran Church held services in the schoolhouse until 1910, when a sanctuary was built. John Lind built the first store in the community on Carancahua Bay in 1894. The post office was housed in Lind's store and mail was delivered once a week. Lind moved his store to the center of the townsite in 1900. In 1906 Edward Wilson, another Swedish immigrant, bought the Olivia store and was appointed postmaster. Other businesses included a hotel, doctor's office, grocery store, blacksmith shop, and cotton gin. Since 1900 the thriving community has changed and grown, but retains its proud Swedish heritage. (1992)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Olivia was founded in 1892 by a Swedish Lutheran minister who bought land on the Calhoun County coast and advertised a new colony to fellow Swedish immigrants in the Midwest, naming the town for his wife. Twelve families answered the first call, and the settlement grew with a schoolhouse where parents studied English at night, a church, and a scatter of stores and trades. Though newcomers of other backgrounds soon arrived, Olivia held onto its proud Swedish heritage.
Why it matters
Olivia is a vivid example of the ethnic colony movement, in which immigrant leaders recruited their countrymen to build tight-knit communities that carried Old World culture into the American landscape.
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Related people
- · Carl J. E. Haterius
- · Olivia Haterius
- · John Lind
Themes & tags
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Olivia Cemetery
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In 1892 the Rev. Carl J. E. Haterius of Galesburg, Illinois, bought land on the Texas coast hoping to build a home for Swedish settlers, naming the town Olivia for his wife. As the townsite was laid out in 1893, ground was set aside for this cemetery tied to the Swedish Lutheran Eden Church. Swedes and non-Swedes alike helped raise the community, and their graves remain here.