Fagersta
Fagersta is a town in the Swedish province of Västmanland County and the historic province of Västmanland. Fagersta is located about 70 km north-west of Västerås and is the capital of the municipality of the same name. Fagersta is up to the imperial roads ( Riksväg ) 66 and 68, and on the railway line Ludvika - Västerås.
History
Establishment of the steel plant Fagersta bruk
1611 a hammer mill was built on the river Kolbäcksån which formed the nucleus for the smelter Fagersta bruk. Around the work was a small settlement in the early 19th century, only 80 people attended. Only in the course of industrialization and the introduction of the Martin process to produce steel, the steel plant and the associated settlement grew. In 1900 Fagersta had about 1,600 inhabitants.
Västanfors and Fagersta be a city
The neighboring place Västanfors was like a Fagersta industrial town with an iron, but developed in the second half of the 19th century to a service center for the region by connecting to the railway and the emergence of a settlement around the station. 1927 Västanfors was raised to the community. 1944, the municipality and the small industrial town Västanfors Fagersta were merged to the city Fagersta.
Development after 1950
In the 1950s, the present-day town center was founded. There were plans for a modern city, geared to the steel producing and processing industry. In the 60s and 70s, the city was subject to major changes. Most of the old buildings were razed in order to realize the dreams of a big city can. However, this development came with the steel crisis in the 70s to a halt. The steel company, which was renamed in 1971 in Fagersta AB, was shut down in 1981. Today however, there are some plants in the field.
Development
The modern city center was built at the steel plant in the port. The center is located between the two places Järntorget and Brinelltorget. In Västanfors district of shops, service facilities and the Fagersta C train station and 600 meters are located further west on the river Kolbäcksån is the church. From the old working-class neighborhood Skansen about 25 houses from the 1910s still exist. They were renovated and converted into a house, you can visit a worker home from the turn of the century.
Economy
Fagersta is a strong industrial town even today. Many companies go back to the 1984 disused steel group Fagersta bruk.
Sons and daughters of the town
- Pelle Almqvist, musicians
- Nicholaus Arson, musicians
- Johan August Brinell, engineering
- Lennart Hellsing, writer
- Ulf Samuelsson, hockey players, professional in the NHL
- Tomas Sandström, hockey players, professional in the NHL
- Anitra Steen, CEO of Systembolaget, wife of former Prime Minister Göran Persson