File:Erik-och-Vasastenen-Dalarna-1900s.jpg

A hand-written note on the reverse reads, "Erik och Vasastenen Dalarna."

The monument reads:

Gustav Eriksson Vasa

1521

Om du vill blifva vår härhöfvitsman så följer båd gammal och ung"

Which roughly translates to, "'Will you be our general,' said all, both old and young." The monument marks the spot where Gustaf Eriksson Vasa (the future King Gustav I) began his ambitious, and successful, attempt to liberate Sweden from King Christian II of Denmark. Legend has it that Gustav was headed for Norway to safety after him family was killed by Christian, and was caught up to by two skiiers, who were messengers sent to request Gustav's help in raising an army to liberate their region. A cross-country skiing race, the Vasaloppet, occurs in the area to commemorate the event each March, and it is alluded to that this monument had been on the trail at one time. The marker is (or was) located in the province of Dalarna, Sweden. The "Vasastanen" shown in photos today does not resemble the one in this photo, so the one seen here is either a different stone or it was replaced. The photo appears to have been taken in the 1910s.