Arts & Culture
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The Dala Horse originated in Dalarna, Sweden, where peasants carved the first ones as Christmas gifts for children. Later, disabled artisans handcrafted the small wooden horses specifically for sale. The horses became widely known in Sweden when a family of Vattnas artists began carving and distributing them through migrant peddlers. In 1939, the first Dala Horses appeared in America at the New York World’s Fair. Sven Markelius is credited with the mass production of the “Horses of Dalarna,” and over time the little horses became a national folk art symbol of Sweden. A large Dala Horse stands as a symbol of Seminole County’s Swedish heritage and was donated to the museum by Teri Patterson, a local Swedish descendant.
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