NEW GLARUS — On Sunday, October 4, the Swiss Center of North America hosted Landammann Markus Heer for a visit to New Glarus. In Switzerland, a landammann serves as the head of cantonal government, a role somewhat similar to that of a governor in the United States.

During his visit, Landammann Heer met with local stakeholders representing education, tourism, and economic development. Much of the discussion focused on strengthening and expanding the longstanding ties between Old and New Glarus, with a number of ideas proposed for future collaboration.

Canton Glarus and New Glarus have shared close ties since the founding of the village in 1845. In 1861, New Glarus sent financial assistance to help the town of Glarus recover from a devastating fire that destroyed much of the city. In 1881, New Glarus again offered support, this time to the town of Elm following a catastrophic landslide that claimed 114 lives.

Canton Glarus has also provided New Glarus with numerous gifts and contributions over the years; from the financial backing that helped establish the original American colony, to the Fridolin’s Staff statue at the intersection of Highways 39 and 69 as well as funding support for the New Glarus Historical Village & Museum and the Swiss Center of North America.

Looking ahead, Canton Glarus will celebrate its 675th anniversary in 2027 with historical tours, traditional music, and special programming. The anniversary will provide another opportunity to celebrate the deep historical and cultural connections between Glarus and New Glarus and to explore new ways to strengthen those ties for future generations.