Kategori: Historical monument

The paper clip

Bindersteinen is a memorial of Johan Vaaler's contribution to the invention of a variant of the paper clip, a seemingly simple yet essential office tool. Vaaler, a Norwegian inventor, applied for a patent for his version of the paper clip in Germany in 1899, and it was granted two years later.

While his design wasn't the one that became the standard, it still stands as a symbol of innovation. (The paper clip, as we know it today, was already in production and use when Vaaler submitted his patent application)

To honor Vaaler  ​​​​​​(1866-1910) and his invention, the memorial, named Bindersteinen, was created and placed on his family farm in Lierfoss, Aurskog-Høland municipality. This event took place in 1999, exactly 100 years after the original patent application. The project was spearheaded by the Aurskog history team, along with support from the surrounding communities and the Aurskog-Høland municipality.

The artist Arne Lindaas from Rømskog was responsible for designing the Bindersteinen, ensuring that the monument serves as a lasting tribute to Vaaler's legacy. The memorial is accessible to visitors and is signposted from Rv 170, a regional road in the area.

Information from Visit Greater Oslo 

The Carl Dørnberger house

Several of Dørnebergers art have been purchased by the National Gallery and he had many famous artists in his circle, including Edvard Munch and Axel Gallén, who both painted portraits of him.

Dørnberger is known to the locals at least as much for his eccentric behaviour. He always wore a distinctive Hamburg hat, he had three legs and carried two pistols in his belt, which he called "Kitty" and "Kitty's brother". He was keen to keep his shooting skills up to par so he aimed for cat tails which resulted in Son having a large population of tailless cats. One of the daughter's suitors was also shot, and Dørnerberger was charged but acquitted by the Court of Appeal because he allegedly shot to castrate him, not to kill. In the house there are bullet holes in many rooms and on the exterior walls.

While sitting on the train once, he stuck a knife through his trouser deep into his wooden leg. Both women and children in the compartment fainted.

Dørnberghuset is a special building, where the oldest part is from around 1680, and later built on in 1700 and 1900. The house is made of timber and half-timbering with original windows made of curved glass.

Ljan Mansion Hvervenbukta

The farms originally belonged to clerical institutions such as the Oslo Bishopric and Hovedøya Monastery, before they were sold and divided. Over time, Ljan was divided into several farms, including Øvre Ljan, Nedre Ljan and Stubljan, all of which had different owners and roles in the area. Stubljan, which was located at Hvervenbukta, became part of the larger Ljans estate and became known for its main building built by Peder Holter, which unfortunately burned down in 1913

At Hvervenbukta there was a magnificent estate – Stubljan (also called Ljan). The farm was mentioned as early as 1308, and after being divided into Øvre, Nedre and Stubljan, it was united under the main farm in the 17th century. In 1765, wealthy man Peder Holter bought the property and built a magnificent main building and a Baroque garden overlooking the bay.

The “manor house” became a gathering place with 32 rooms, a magnificent entrance hall, a crystal hall, a porcelain room and a steady stream of guests – including royalty such as Oscar II, King Haakon and Queen Maud. In the rococo pavilion that still stands by the beach, guests were welcomed with tea and wine when they arrived by sea from Christiania.

In January 1913, the main house burned down as a result of a fire after a damp Christmas celebration – and all that remains today are the remains of the walls and a memorial stone bearing the names of the former owners. Employees saved much of the contents – which today can be found in various places such as museums and private estates.

The area also houses the two Portnerboligene (1898) at Gamle Mossevei – the two charming houses that were used by property guards are now used by artists.

Helleberget, the gardener's residence down by the beach, is today a café known as "Anne på landet". The house dates from the 18th century and housed the gardener family who maintained the baroque garden.

Mrs. Johanne Ingier, ranked among Norway's most beautiful women, took over the estate after she was widowed in 1900. Under her leadership, Ljansgodset flourished until the fire. The estate's wealth came from the forest and the river. Timber was sawn and exported via the harbor at Hvervenbukta, especially to Denmark and the Netherlands. This was an important source of income, and many local families found work here.

Rødtangen Tåkeklokke

Rødtangen had daily calls by the Juno company's ships to and from Drammen and Oslo.Throughout the ages, Rødtangen has been a favorite place for painters, and one of Norway's earliest settlements can be found here.

The pilots made a living as fishermen and pilots. Before telephone and radio communication became common, the pilots on Rødtangen themselves had to scout for boats that were supposed to be relieved. One way to do this was to find a favorable vantage point where they could spot the boats going up the Drammensfjord as early as possible.Asbjørn with the sailor's hat was always ready when the pilot arrived in his fine uniform to be driven out to the ship. The pilots elegantly climbed the rope leader that was lowered from the ship. Now he could lead the voyage safely through the narrow Svelvik Stream and on to Drammen.

There could be a lot of fog and thick haze along the coast and in 1903 the Rødtangen Fog Clock was inaugurated.A fog bell was a bell that was rung when there was poor visibility in the ship's lanes – this was to guide ships sailing in narrow waters, thus saving both ships and human lives from sinking. It was a laborious service and the clock had to be wound up manually, and you had to sit a fog watch in the house.In 1938 electricity was insatalled and a switch was installed in Olea and Asbjørn's house which could turn the fog clock on and off.

The fog clock had an important position during the Second World War when they had hidden an illegal radio and turned the clock into a news centre.

Aulie mill

There have been mills here since the 17th century, while today's mill was ready in 1909 after the old one burned down. In 1919, the mill was modernized and a separate power station with electricity supply was established. This ensured electricity for the farm under which the mill is located, as well as 20 other subscribers in the neighbourhood.

It is stated that the mill ground 296 tonnes of rye, wheat, barley and oats.

During the Second World War, grain was ground at night without the Germans knowing about it. A watch was then kept around the area to scout for suspicious vehicles.

The mill was in operation until the 1980s. After this, it became part of Ne's collections in the museum, before it passed into private hands again. These now want to display the mill for public viewing again.

The stable, which is connected to the mill, was repaired in 2019, and stands today as it was when it was new, and the horses needed a place to rest.

The Møller house is in original condition, and is used today as a summer residence.

Industrial history of Tofte

Tofte has a long industrial history that started in 1896 when Anthon B. Nielsen bought Tofte farm. Nielsen, a well-known businessman and author under the pseudonym Elias Kræmmer, started the construction of a cellulose factory. After several years of production, he sold out and established a new factory in Sagene. The Tofte factory operated for 117 years but was closed by the Swedish forestry group Södra in 2013, following a conflict with the Norwegian authorities and trade unions, which resulted in 275 employees losing their jobs.

The factory was then dismantled and the equipment shipped to Vietnam. In line with the factory's development, the surrounding community also grew, with the construction of workers' housing for the construction workers and new employees, including Swedish workers. Many of the old buildings in Tofte have now disappeared, but "Murgårda", officially "Skogveien", is a street with buildings inspired by English architecture, which were built in 1910. The architect, who was educated in England, also designed the "Old People's House", which became a gathering point for the workers.

A cooperation agreement arose between the workers and the factory management to build Folkets Hus, which later became the site for the formation of the Toftevering trade union.

In 2013, Statkraft took over the area from Södra, with plans to develop the production of advanced biofuels from forest raw materials. They have established a demonstration plant, and if successful, it could lead to full-scale production and new jobs in the future, suggesting that Tofte still has potential for industrial activity.

Grini Museum

In Grini prison there were prisoners from all over the country, and almost all professions and classes of the population were represented. At first everyone was in the prison building, but it soon became overcrowded and a "barracks city" was built. Today the Grini Museum is located in one of these barracks.

On Thursdays, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, you can experience Grini prison through VR. The VR experience lasts about 15 minutes and is included in the ticket price.

On Sundays, there is an introduction to the history of Grini prison at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM. The lecture lasts about 20 minutes and is included in the ticket price.

We also offer private tours, lectures, performances and VR experiences for smaller and larger groups outside the museum's regular opening hours. This can be booked by sending us an email at grinimuseet@mia.no. Read more about our tours: https://mia.no/grinimuseet/gruppetilbud

The museum does not have a café, but sells coffee, tea, mineral water and muffins/lefser that can be enjoyed in the outdoor area.

In our small museum shop it is possible to buy books about Grini prison camp and World War II as well as postcards and some other products.

Throughout the year there are concerts, theatre performances, lectures and talks at the museum. Follow our website to see what's happening: https://mia.no/grinimuseet/kalender

Member of Visit Greater Oslo

Nøstvedt culture

Nøstvedt farm is located in Ås municipality. Within the property of this farm, on the homestead Sjøskogen, remains of Stone Age settlements around 4000 – 5000 years BCE have been found. The settlement of the fishermen and hunters who lived in the area have been named the Nøstvedt culture and the culture cover large parts of eastern, southern and central Norway.

 

Stone Age settlement at Nøstvet

The settlements are mainly beach-bound, which means that people have often lived right at the water's edge in selected areas. We therefore know that there is great potential for finding Stone Age settlements of Nøstvet character in areas where the height above sea level is where the sea level was in Nøstvet times, i.e. approx. 50 m above sea level.

Sjøskogen is located by Nøstvet in Ås, and is the settlement that has given its name to the period. Since 1880, various objects have been brought in from this settlement. In Ås, more than 150 localities have been registered with finds of Nøstvet character. In the Stone Age, these were fjord arms that were very favorable in relation to fishing and settlement.

There is a sign to the residence at the entrance to Vinterbrosentret.

The Nøstvet culture
The Nøstvet period coincides with the last part of the Old Stone Age – the period before farming begins here in Eastern Norway. Norway, The culture is characterized by distinctive stone axes, Nøstvetøkser.

The axes were probably attached to a wooden shaft, which was then, among other things, used to hollow out log boats.

The settlements are mainly beach-bound, which means that people have often lived right at the water's edge in selected areas.

Small groups lived together and subsisted on hunting, fishing and what they could gather. Hunting land mammals provided meat, but was not necessarily everyday food.

The illustration has been prepared by Akershus county council and the texts by Ås Historielag.

Bronze Age cairns

A dolmen is a Danish term for a megalith or large stone tomb from the Neolithic Age. A dolmen consists of a burial chamber, surrounded by a series of large curb stones as we see in the pictures. In Norway, megalithic tombs are very rare and they are a sign that this may be one of the first settlements in Norway. Here, two similar dolmens have been found quite close to each other that have been dated back to 3630-3350 BC. Amber beads have been found, which indicates that they either came from – or interacted with other societies on the continent. The dolmen is located close to the red barn, entrance by the sign.

Hear more about the findings and life in the Stone Age in the video.

The burial mounds. Up on the hill a little further towards Drammen there are several burial mounds from the Bronze Age. In the Early Bronze Age, the deceased was placed in the coffin fully dressed and with various objects. The men often brought bronze swords, axes, daggers, knives and jewelry pins. The women brought knives and daggers, as well as jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets and belt buckles. The location of the cairns may indicate that it was important for people in the Bronze Age both that the cairns could be seen from the sea and that the sea could be seen from the cairns.

All burial cairns are protected and it is not legal to remove or move stones from them.

Hvalstrand bad

Public swimming in the fjord was only for men. Swimsuits were unknown garments and men and women could not swim in the same place. The first public baths for women were built in the 1840s. At the end of the 19th century, it was discovered that light and sun had a positive effect and young women in particular began to sunbathe. It became more accepted to show off their bodies and from the 20th century, many baths were built around the Oslofjord.

During the interwar period, bathing life as we know it today gained momentum: – Sea bathing as "free bathing", i.e. where both sexes bathed together, gained momentum in the 1930s.

Hvalstrand bad was established on June 7, 1934 on a property separated from the Hval farm. The farm's owner, Wilhelm Roede, and shipowner Rudolf Olsen joined forces to establish a modern bathing facility with a diving tower, a slide, and an elegant restaurant.

Hvalstrand bad and Ingierstrand bad were the two most important, publicly accessible baths on either side of the Oslofjord from the interwar period and in the first decades of the postwar period. A steamboat was set up from the center of Oslo that ran shuttle services throughout the summer season.

Existing public baths were mostly used by wealthy people, who took a bath for the sake of cleanliness and health, while ordinary people bathed in the open air. This was a time when recreation and sports were seen as something that gave meaning to life, and Oslo's inhabitants wanted to get out of the city and into beautiful nature in search of "the good leisure life" as a result of most people starting to have more free time.

Eventually, the place became unprofitable, was bought by Asker Municipality and stood in disrepair until it was protected and restored in 1997. Now Hvalstrand Bad is operated as a restaurant during the summer months.