Kalmar Nyckel - The Settler Ship

The Kalmar Nyckel colonial ship was built by the Dutch and became famous for carrying settlers from Sweden, Holland, Germany and Finland to North America during 1638 to set up the colony of New Sweden in the Delaware region. The ship landed on the banks of the Christina River and had 24 settlers on board. After 2 years, the ship returned to North America with women and children. In all, this 3-masted colonial ship made 4 round trips across the Atlantic bringing in settlers to the United States. This acrylic fridge magnet of the Kalmar Nyckel Ship will make you remember this remarkable story that forever attached Sweden and the United States.

The Modern Kalmar Nyckel

A replica of the ship was built by the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation at Wilmington, Delaware, in 1997. The present replica ship provides a distinctive platform for the Foundation's educational programs as well as various functions of social and economic development. The ship is a sea-going ambassador of good will for the state of Delaware. With the present replica ship the non-profit Kalmar Nyckel Foundation organization proffers people a mixture of sea and land based learning and entertaining experiences.