Heritage Shapes the Holidays: Swiss, Norwegian and Irish Traditions

While New Glarus is proudly Swiss, census data reveals a surprise: Irish is the village’s second-most reported European ancestry, not Norwegian. The mix reflects how different immigrant groups arrived, settled, and shaped the area over time.

Heritage Shapes the Holidays: How Swiss, Norwegian, and Irish Traditions Live On in New Glarus

New Glarus has always been proudly Swiss at its core. Founded in 1845 by families from Canton Glarus, the village still carries the customs, architecture, and cultural imprint of its founders in a way few American towns do. Even today, Swiss ancestry remains the most commonly reported heritage among village residents.

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