Norrbyskär

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The Norrbyskären are a Swedish archipelago. They are located in the Gulf of Bothnia before Hörnefors at the mouth of Öreälven in the municipality of Umeå, Västerbotten County in.

The archipelago consists of two large islands: On Stuguskär is the ferry dock, the Norrbyskärs Wärdshus and the former workers 'houses of brick, was on Långgrundet once the sawmill ( now a museum ), the Church and the former workers' houses out of wood. In addition to the archipelago are still the smaller islands Stengrundet, Blågrundet, Tannskär, Truthällan and Kalmarn.

This was in 1895 by Frans Kempe, CEO of MoDo, built a steam-powered sawmill. Simultaneously with the sawmill a housing estate for the workers and their families has been established. The mill was shut down in 1952, and today the main islands a popular destination for tourists. The archipelago, with its extraordinary industrial and cultural history is a Swedish national interest. The islands can be most easily reached by ferry from Norrbyn from.

History

On Öreälven there was since 1750 a sawmill at Håknäs. In 1889 Frans Kempe bought this sawmill for Mo och Domsjö AB. He was interested in first hand not the sawmill, but the felling rights for the surrounding forests. The sawmill built on Långgrundet 1895, and named after the disused sawmill in Moliden. To supply with labor the new sawmill was built on the islands apartments, a shop, a school and the health system.

The workers were dependent on the factory line at the same time they had on the islands partially great privileges. Each worker was given a free apartment, other privileges were dependent on the working class which one belonged. Beginning of the twentieth century, all the apartments were equipped with electric light, which usually was a luxury of the rich at that time. Other privileges of the workers were plowed potato field for the families, timber and access to washing and bathing rooms. There was also a bakery, a workshop and a relatively good school. Frans Kempe succeeded to 1919 unions to stay away from the islands, instead he offered the workers advantageous conditions by pension, health and Notkassen. The company had on the islands also a nurse and a midwife.

However, there was no church for the workers. MoDo paid taxes to the municipality Nordmaling, but it was far to the local church. Therefore Kempe decided to build their own church and to found a parish. First, a church was built in Hörnefors, and then wanted to start their own parish. The community was the Nordmaling opposed to because you did not want to lose a large part of their income. However, the government supported the proposal of MoDo, 1913 the parish was divided Nordmaling and 1 689 individuals were assigned to the new parish Hörnefors.

The heyday of the sawmill on the Norrbyskären were the 1920s, then lived almost 1400 people ( workers and their families) in the main town Norrbyskär. National and international competition together with recessions have led to the reduction of production in the 1930s before production was completely shut down in 1952. Today, no more live year-round on the islands.

Tourism

Since the 1980s, the Norrbyskären be used as a tourist destination and leisure homes. In the summer here live among other artists that recur every year. The restaurant Norrbyskärs Wärdshus offer not only a restaurant and rooms. In 1990 started the construction of Norrbyskärs museum, it now houses photos, exhibitions and a model of the islands as they appeared around 1920.

On the eastern side of the island Blågrundet the Christian Association operates Young people renting rooms and a Komnferenzanlage. Here many holiday camps are also held, in the context of confirmations.