Sweden, Missouri facts for kids

Sweden is a small, quiet place in Douglas County, Missouri, in the United States. It's not a big city or even a town with its own local government. Instead, it's known as an unincorporated community. This means it's a group of homes and buildings that are part of the larger county, rather than having its own mayor or city council.

What is an Unincorporated Community?

An unincorporated community is a place where people live close together, but it doesn't have its own official city government. Instead, the county government takes care of things like roads and services for everyone living there. Sweden is one of these communities, offering a peaceful, rural lifestyle.

Where You Can Find Sweden

Sweden is located in the south-central part of Douglas County. If you were looking for it on a map, you'd find the area where the old Sweden store used to be. This spot is about half a mile east of where Missouri Route 14 and State Route P meet. Just a little bit north of where the store was, you'll find the Sweden community church and its cemetery on a county road. These landmarks help people know where the community is.

A Glimpse into Sweden's Past

Sweden has a bit of history, even though it's a small place.

The Old Post Office

For many years, Sweden had its own post office. This was a very important place where people could send and receive letters and packages. The Sweden post office first opened its doors in 1896. It served the community for a long time, helping people stay connected, until it finally closed in 1956.

How Sweden Got Its Name

The name "Sweden" has an interesting story! It wasn't named after the country of Sweden in Europe. Instead, it was meant to honor a person who lived there, whose last name was Sweten. However, when the name was first written down, there was a mistake. Someone accidentally wrote "Sweden" instead of "Sweten." Even though it was a simple error, the name was never changed back, and so the community became known as Sweden.