Madsengaarden

Opposite the sheriff's house in Storgt, in Gamle-Hokksund, there was once a large old farm where the land stretched from the border of Storgt to the banks of the Dramselva. The original farm had 5 family apartments and 2 dormitories and was built around 1730 on 2 floors. Later expanded with an extension and to 3 floors.

The first owner whose name it has been possible to trace was Hans ChristensenStrygen. He bought the property at auction on 28/6-1800. Strygen's name was mentioned in the census of 1802 as

Corporal and innkeeper. The idea behind the purchase was that he wanted to rent out rooms to visitors and others.

seeking housing. The Strygen family had 2 children when they took over . But it would only be 6 years before they sold the place in October 1806 to Hans Hafskjold for 1200 riksdaler. The new owner was keen to run a guesthouse and also received a grant for it.

Hafskjold was also unable to run the business profitably and 10 years later the farm went bankrupt.

auction. Niels H. Braathen, who was involved in the tanning business, won the contract and paid only 625 spd. This happened in December 1816.

Niels H. Braathen then also started a tannery here, but a disadvantage immediately arose. Lack of water. According to the registered contract of 26/11-1827 between tanner and homeowner H. Braun and the new owner Braathen, the installation of a new water pipe had to go over the neighboring property belonging to Simen Dramdahl and Åse Margrethe. This was necessary to get water to the tannery operation. The contract also stated that if this happened, a fee would be paid for this arrangement.

In April 1841, when Niels H. Braathen turned 70, his son Petter N. took over the entire farm.

with the tannery and what belonged to it, as well as the land area.

Petter then ran the tannery until 1878. That year, a fire broke out in the area where one - two - three houses were destroyed.

The late Liv Flesaker said in a recording before she died in 1999 that her parents had told her about the incident. The latter fire moved Petter N. Braathen's business to the tannery located at Hokksund Bridge. This was also owned by the Braathen family.

A young and enterprising man in Hokksund who had started a business selling various merchandise without a fixed outlet had been looking for a central and suitable place where he could live and at the same time carry out his business. This man was Amund Madsen.

His father was from Dynge in Hokksund and was named Mads Amundsen. His father was born in 1803. When Amund was born in 1843, the family lived at Sanden near the border with Nedre Eiker. Another boy named Hans saw the light of day while they lived there.

This Amund Madsen had for several years shown that he was a man with drive and a great sense for sales and business. In addition, he had an appealing appearance.

His greatest wish was to buy a larger farm where he could realize his plans.

After the fire in 1878, the property situation in the area became a bit unclear. It took a good many years before the buildings were eventually rebuilt. In December 1896, a mortgage bond was issued to Amund Madsen with security in these houses, so he must have had some kind of ownership relationship to the properties at this time, possibly a land title, lease or similar.

At the census on December 3, 1900, Amund Madsen lived in house no. 42 a with his daughter. Dagny. But it was not until January 1903 that he became the owner of the farm when he bought it from Petter Braathens' bankrupt estate for NOK 1,300.

The business that Madsen had been running for several years was still going well. He had expanded his range with dolls of different kinds. This led to an increase in sales and eventually he became known as Dokke-Madsen.

Amund Madsen was married twice. In his first marriage, the family had 2 children, namely Emilie and Inga. Emilie was then married to Lauritz Sanden gbr. f ra Sanden in Hokksund

Inga married merchant Andreas Andersen who started a general store in Storgt. in Hokksund.

Madsen's second marriage also produced two children, Hildur and Dagny. Hildur was married to

Ragnvald Kruke who ran a bakery and retail store in Storgt. Dagny married Mr. Harald Kruke, an avid salmon fisherman and co-owner of Ullern salmon fishing.

On the evening of 23/12-1910, there was a major landslide in the area where Emilie and her 5 children lived. The landslide was so violent that it took away both the house and livestock and almost everything they owned. The family escaped in time. They were given temporary accommodation in Gamle-Hokksund until they were able to rent a house at Raubakk in Hokksund.

Amund Madsen's eldest daughter Emilie probably inherited the house from her father with her 5 children, who were Karl Alfred, Olaf, Birger, Anna and Klara.

Birger the youngest married organist Bergljot Skollerud from Lommedalen. They settled in Spikkestad where they ran a grocery store for a time. Later they took over a store at Pilestredet 55 in Oslo. Privately the family then lived in their own house at Gjettum in Sandvika.

Anna remained single and Klara married Peder O. Langebro who established a car repair shop.

in Langebru.

The business was then moved to Vestre Brugt. where next to the car repair shop there was also a car dealership. Karl Alfred and Olaf, who were the oldest, were employed at Steinberg Hængsle. Daughter Anna started a delicatessen in the yard facing Storgt. She made the products for sale in her own kitchen. It turned out that the turnover increased and she had to look around for help. A good friend of Anna was Pertra Thorud who lived with her mother Jørgine in Krybelkroken on Slottebakken.

She then became Anna's good helper.

In this large 3-storey farm, there were between 15 and 20 people living at one time. Especially after 1900, the occupancy was at its highest. From time to time, of course, both funny and less pleasant episodes happened in such a housing complex. In this article I will tell about an incident that could probably occur in several cases under special circumstances.

Since the farm and the garden area with outbuildings were located down towards the Dramselva River, they were exposed to flooding and snowmelt.

for the ingress of large amounts of water that filled the area, not least the basements and outbuildings. The outhouse was located in the outhouse on the opposite side of the main house and when visiting the toilet you had to use the rowboat both to and from. It sometimes happened that there was a fight over the boat, but history tells us that everything went well and no one went into the water.

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In recent times, the following have been owners of the so-called "Madsengården":

Brother Jens Heggestad who leased a small farm in Fiskum during the war, but later moved to Vestfossen where he died a few years later.

Supervisor Harald Stavn, formerly employed by Buskerud County Road Administration, and the last before current owners Oscar Horgen took over. Hokksund.

In the period up to 1984/85, from around 1980, the house was mostly inhabited by more or less loose birds with little or no sense of cleanliness or tidying up.

When the Ramstad/Alm family was about to buy the farm, it was both reasonable and understandable that doubts arose when they saw the building in its current condition. And when further investigations revealed further weaknesses in a number of areas, the question became even more difficult.

But indomitable optimists don't give up so easily. The farm was bought. What now?

The start-up immediately revealed rot in the walls and ceiling. The sewage system had to be replaced.

Likewise, a new water pipe had to be laid. Last but not least, all the windows, a total of 37, had to be replaced. The electrical system had to be replaced in its entirety.

Was this enough to discourage irrepressible optimists? Don't talk about.

The super-optimist Arne Alm mobilized acquaintances, friends, family and colleagues, and without their assistance it would not have been possible to restore this old, listed house to a condition that would preserve the old style as much as possible.

Now it must also be mentioned, says Arne Alm, that the largest and most difficult work was entrusted to a carpentry company.

As the picture shows, the farm is now clad with panelling that was common in the 19th century. The same panelling also characterizes

exterior walls at Fossesholm Manor in Vestfossen.

Today, the farm stands as an excellent example of determination, commitment and an unwavering belief that what one does can benefit posterity and, not least, that one preserves old values.

The Ramstad/Alm family has invested both effort and capital in the project, which is immensely respected.

Price tag approx. 3 million kroner Grant from the Ministry of National Heritage NOK 20,000.

Where is the understanding? I don't know whether to laugh or cry?