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Topics in Eikerhistorie 2025-2027 "Eikerhistorie 2025-2027" is a project under the auspices of the association EIKERHISTORIE, which is an umbrella organization in which other voluntary organizations in Eiker can be members. The members as of today are Eiker Historielag, Eiker Arkiv/Sameia Kulturminnedag, Nøstetangensenteret, Hellefossen Elveeierlag and Østsiden Jeger- og Fiskerforening. It may be appropriate to invite more participants during the project period. Samfunnet under Hellefossen This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person's role and responsibilities, or add a short bio. Nøstetangen - Norway's first glassworks This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person's role and responsibilities, or add a short bio. War years at Eiker This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person's role and responsibilities, or add a short bio. Setre og boplasser på Eiker This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person's role and responsibilities, or add a short bio. Eikers skihistorie - topp og bredde This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person's role and responsibilities, or add a short bio. Vestfos Cellulosefabrik This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person's role and responsibilities, or add a short bio.

The Church and the Parish Priests Since the Reformation in 1537, the church in Denmark-Norway had been part of the state, with the King as head, and the priests were royal officials. The church service and the church acts – baptisms, weddings and funerals – were an important part of people’s daily lives. But during the 18th century, the church also gained an expanded social mission, with the introduction of confirmation in 1736 and a community school three years later. It also played an important role in the development of a poor system, and royal laws and decrees were announced on the church grounds after the services. Thus, the parish priest became a cornerstone of the absolute monarchy’s civil service. The main church and rectory at Eiker were geographically centrally located, close to the sound site of Haugsund. There were several homesteads here, and the "Egerske Company" had a practice area at the church. In 1741, the Nøstetangen glassworks was also built on the rectory grounds. Between 1741 and 1776 there were four parish priests at Eiker. Peder Anchersen had held the office since 1720, and previously he had been ship's chaplain for Peter Wessel Tordenskjold. He is described as He was parish priest until 1749, when he was succeeded by Christian Grave He was a poet and antique collector, very interested in history and was appointed Peder Jespersen NyropLorentz Schnitler The tombstones of Nyrop and Schnitler can still be seen in the cemetery at Haug Church, where they are among the oldest tombstones.

Magazine drive on "Sölvveien" The transportation of goods between Bragernes and Kongsberg is often called "warehouse transportation". In reality, this transportation took place both on land and by water. The actual transportation was carried out by "reeders" in rowboats and drivers with horses and carts. Along the river and the road there were transport stations, guesthouses and inns where both the transport workers and other travelers could quench their thirst and get food and shelter. This is where goods were probably also bought and sold to the local population, at a time when there were no country stores. All the traffic also provided work for craftsmen such as boat builders, blacksmiths, wheelwrights and shoemakers. In the latter half of the 18th century, the mining town of Kongsberg had around 8,000 inhabitants and was Norway’s second largest city – smaller than Bergen, but larger than Christiania. The local agriculture could not feed such a large population, and the miners and their families were completely dependent on a regular supply of grain and other foodstuffs. This gave great power to a small group of “suppliers”, who had the exclusive right to run this profitable business. Together with the top management at the Silver Works, they constituted the upper class in Kongsberg. The grain and other imported goods destined for Kongsberg came to Drammen - which actually consisted of two separate trading posts - Bragernes and Strømsø. The large warehouse of the silver works was located at Øvre Sund in Bragernes until 1786, when a new and larger warehouse was built on Strømsø. From here the goods were to be transported to the warehouse in Kongsberg - today known as "Magasinparken". This was the origin of the term "Magasinkjørsel", and the transport went through Eiker. Although a road had been built all the way to Bragernes as early as the 1620s, much of the traffic was carried out on the river, especially the transport of heavier goods. The "Røyertene" were a separate professional group, who rowed "big boats" up the river to Haugsund. Some goods were transferred to horses and carts at the Langebru transport station near Haug Church, but much was also transported by boat to Vestfossen and sometimes all the way to Rudstøa in Fiskum. However, the last leg through Kongsbergskogen had to be covered by horse and cart. This was by far one of the country's most important transport arteries. "The Silver Road" is a name that this road has been given in recent times. Originally, it was often called "The King's Road", but also "The Post Road", since there was a fixed postal route here with important correspondence between the management of the Silver Works and the central administration in Copenhagen. Today, several new and larger roads have been built between Drammen and Kongsberg, but at the end of the 18th century, the route was largely the same as when the road was built in the 1620s. Maintenance and improvements were carried out, however. One of the most important was the construction of stone arch bridges, which probably replaced older wooden bridges. The largest and most important was Smedbrua, which was built in 1767 by stonemasons from the Silver Works, where the road crosses the Fiskumelva River. Smaller bridges of the same type were built at Skogen and at Brekke on Nedre Eiker. Today, these bridges are protected as cultural monuments.

the Norwegian crofter system Husmannsvesenet var et fenomen som fantes over hele Norge, i forskjellige varianter. Eiker og de andre flatbygdene på Østlandet var nok det området der husmannsvesenet fikk aller størst utbredelse, og innenfor Eikers grenser finner vi mange varianter – det var husmenn med jord og jordløse strandsittere, bygselshusmenn og arbeidshusmenn. Siste halvdel av 1600-tallet og første halvdel av 1700-tallet var en periode med store omveltninger i bondesamfunnet på Eiker. Krongodset og adelsgodsene gikk i oppløsning, mange bønder ble selveiere, men også rike trelasthandlere fra byene kjøpte seg gård og grunn på Eiker. Folketallet økte, og mange nye husmannsplasser ble ryddet. Forarbeidet til ny matrikkel i 1723 er vel den første kilden som gir en samlet oversikt over husmenn på Eiker. Den viser at husmannsvesenet på dette tidspunktet var en institusjon som var veletablert i alle deler av bygda. Hele 116 av gårdene på Eiker hadde husmenn på dette tidspunktet. De aller fleste bare en eller to husmenn, men gårder som Nedre Hoen, Vestre Lo og Skjelbred hadde hele seks stykker, Stenshorne hadde hele ni husmenn, under Fossesholm er det oppgitt 13 og under Haug prestegård 14 husmenn. På så å si alle disse plassene ble det dyrket havre, som regel mellom en halv og en hel tønne. Det betyr at dette var husmenn med jord, mens husmenn uten jord ikke er tatt med – rimelig nok, siden dette var en skattematrikkel og det var jorda en betrakte skatt for. Dersom en tar med alle husmennene som ikke hadde jord, ville nok antallet vært betydelig større enn de 246 husmannsplassene som er oppgitt i 1723. Det neste årstallet vi finner en samlet oversikt over husmenn på Eiker, er 1765, da det ble tatt opp et manntall i forbindelse med innkreving av en ekstraskatt. Her var alle personer over 15 år med, og 252 av dem er ført opp som husmenn. Det er altså bare ubetydelig flere enn i 1723. Men skatten i 1765 var en såkalt koppskatt, slik at også husmenn som ikke hadde jord ble tatt med. Disse blir ikke kalt husmenn i manntallet, men føres i samme skatteklasse som husmennene. av dem var det hele 413 stykker. Ut ifra dette kan vi slutte at nærmere 20% av Eikers befolkningen på midten av 1700-tallet var husmenn.Men mer interessant enn antallet er det kanskje å se nærmere på hva slags husmenn en hadde på Eiker. Dessverre sier ikke manntallet i 1765 stort sett ingen ting om hva folk arbeidet med. Unntakene er åtte hammersmeder ved Hassel jernverk og fjorten stykker på Nøstetangen som «arbeider ved Fabriquen». Men ut ifra bosted er det også mulig å si en hel del om hva husmennene på Eiker livnærte seg av., Ikke overraskende finner vi flest husmenn der det var sagbruk og annen industri. Det var i Vestfossen og Skotselv, langs Hoenselva og i Mjøndalen. Det er vel neppe noen tvil om at mange av disse var sagbruksarbeidere. Under gårder som Solberg og Krokstad var det store møllebruk, og her finner vi også en konsentrasjon av husmenn. Det samme gjelder sundstedet ved Haug – både under Prestegården og på østsiden av Drammenselva under gårdene Lerberg og Hobbelstad. Husmennene her kan ha vært knyttet til tømmerfløting og laksefiske, men også det at Haugsund var et viktig knutepunkt for samferdselen hadde nok sin betydning. Blant husmennene her finner vi nok både vertshusholdere, skysskarer og håndverkere. Likevel er det bare en nokså beskjeden andel av husmennene på 1700-tallet som bodde på slike tettsteder. Under alle de større gårdene i bygda var det vanlig med både fire og fem husmannsplasser eller enda flere. Det gjaldt både gårder sentralt i bygda og de som lå i utkanten. Etableringen av slike husmannsplasser må ha sammenheng med behovet for arbeidskraft på gården, spesielt i onnene. Gårdbrukerne kunne sikre seg arbeidshjelp ved å leie ut jord og ta betaling i form av pliktarbeid. Uten å ha studert husmaannskontraktene nærmere, må en kunne anta at husmennene på slike gårder var såkalte «arbeidshusmenn», mens de som hadde fast arbeid på sager eller i annen industri var «bygselshusmenn», det vil si at de betalte for leie av plassen med penger istedenfor pliktarbeid. På en del steder kan det nok ha vært en kombinasjon – det gjelder for eksempel på gårder som Fossesholm, Ulleland og Hoen, som både hadde en betydelig jordvei og samtidig en stor sagbruksvirksomhet. Mange husmenn var nok også tømmerfløtere. Dem finner vi sikkert langs hele Drammenselva, men det var spesielt mange plasser i nærheten av de store tømmerhengslene ved Kverk og Stenberg. En annen næringsvei som la grunnlag for rydding av husmannsplasser, var bergverksdriften. Når det var så vidt mange husmenn under gårder som Berg og Stenshorne, har nok det sammenheng med at det var drift både i Bergsgruvene og Krambudalsgruvene på 1760-tallet.

The Silverworks mines at Eiker Ever since Kongsberg Sølvverk and Kongsberg were founded in 1624, there has been a close connection between Bergstaden and the neighboring village of Eiker – among other things, the very first silver finds were smelted in Kongens smelhytte in Vestfossen. In the latter half of the 18th century, the Sølvverk employed 400 people, and it had several mines and shards in Eiker – including the “Christianus VI and Dronning Sophie Magdalena mine” in Skarraenga outside Vestfossen, the Kjennerudvannsgruvene in Lurdalen and the Schwabegruva on Grasåsen. The most significant activity, however, was that which was started around 1770 in the outlying areas under the farms Skarra and Kolberg, right on the border with Svene parish in Numedal. This became known as the "Schara Ertzdyb Grube" or simply "Skarragruvene". At this time, the Silver Works started up in several areas that were quite far from the main fields in Saggrenda. This was because the operation of these mines was becoming less profitable, and therefore richer deposits were sought. Optimism was great, and at the Skarra mines, more than 20 sharp points were taken up, two horizontal adits were driven in, totaling around 700 meters in length, and a crushing plant was built, which was powered by hydroelectric power from Dørja. The operation provided work for 50-60 people - at most, around 100 miners were active there. In the long run, the results did not meet expectations, and in 1898 the Skarra mines were closed down after 30 years of operation. This was part of the winding up of Kongsberg Sølvverk, where all operations ceased in 1805. It was not until ten years later that mining operations resumed, but operations were never as extensive as they had been at the end of the 18th century.

WELCOME TO PHOTO REGISTRATION Nøstetangen Café, Sorenskrivergården Thursday, April 24 at 7:00 PM Pictures from Terje Koch Betsy Johansen (Narveland) behind the counter. For many years she ran a small kiosk in her private home, right behind Arbeideren in Gamle-Hokksund. She ran it as long as there was a cinema at Arbeideren, from the 1950s until the 1970s. ea-2009-014-001 Betsy Johansen (Narveland) behind the counter. Unknown girl on the left. ea-2009-014-002 Jacob and Betsy Johansen's house in Gamle-Hokksund, where Betsy ran a small cheese shop for many years. They later changed the name to Narveland. ea-2009-014-003 Egil Dahlmann. Terje Koch and Runar Kruke outside Betsy Johansen's kiosk, with Betsy in the window. ea-2009-014-004 Bicycle repairman Ola Larsen ("Ola pang-pang") outside the workshop at Bruhjørnet. On the left is Leif "Vøkert" Bermingrud, who also had the nickname "Elvelosen". ea-2009-014-005 Jacob Johansen (Narveland). ea-2009-014-006 Nils Ole Rønning and Erik Svendsen's car dealership in Stasjonsgata. Previously, baker Rommelhoff-Berg had a shop and cafeteria here, then butcher Torgersen. ea-2009-014-008 Mona and Erling Ystenes' business in Stasjonsgata. Previously, Løvgren-Olsen had a flower shop here. Later, Kirsch had a bicycle repair shop, and it has also been a hobby shop, kebab restaurant (Kalino) etc. Now (2025) the soon-to-open sushi restaurant is here. ea-2009-014-009 Eiker Sparebank's new building, July 1984. ea-2009-014-010 The old fire station in Hellefossveien. Behind the house we see the tall poles that were used to dry fire hoses. ea-2009-014-011 Karl Hansen ("Dakota-Karl")'s kiosk at Bruhjørnet, with the residential building behind. ea-2009-014-012 Karl Hansen, also called "Dakota Karl". ea-2009-014-013 Ukjent mann sager ved. ea-2009-014-014 Taxi driver Kristian Groven with his Essex 1930 model. ea-2009-014-015 Photo by Thor Wilhelm Tollefsen Pictures from Kjell Amundsen Rehearsal with Øvre Eiker Youth Corps, probably in the 1960s. We see, among others, Bjørn Rasmussen (no. 2 in the second row), Hans Hobbelstad (standing behind), Kjell Amundsen on trumpet (no. 2) from the right and Odd Røren (far right, partially hidden by the conductor). ea-2010-006-001 Band exercise - probably a joint exercise with participants from several school bands. Conductor is Einar Kristensen. ea-2010-006-002 Ellen Holmen (Sundt) on clarinet and instructor Einar Kristensen, Kjell Amundsen standing behind. ea-2010-006-003 Øvre Eiker Youth Corps. We see, among others, Runar Narveland, Nils Rasmussen, Odd Røren, Kjell Amundsen, Per Engh, Sverre Nygård, Knut Persson and Torbjørn Oskasin. ea-2010-006-004 Demolition of Hokksund Cooperative. Volunteer work at Øvre Eiker Youth Corps. ea-2010-006-005 Østre Brugata in Hokksund with the Cooperative Society. ea-2010-006-006 Østre Brugata in Hokksund with the Cooperative Society. ea-2010-006-007 Unknown man on the left, then Harald Ingebretsen (Messeconsult), Henry Tranberg and Kjell Amundsen. ea-2010-006-009 Presumably meeting in Hokksund Chamber of Commerce. From left: Grethe Jahr, Nils Christiansen, hidden man, Erling Holden, Gudrun Styve Varlo, Hans Muggerud, Kjell Amundsen (at the end of the table), Arne Stokke, Bjørn Ristvedt, hidden man, Elsie May Stengel, Jorunn Kvale and Britt Stokke Amundsen? ea-2010-006-010 Knut Olav Bakkene, Kjell Amundsen and Harald Loe. Presumably prize giving in Eiker O-team. ea-2010-006-011 Film: The 1952 Olympic Relay Here are the results of the previous registration meeting Pictures from Dynge The backyard of Braathengården, later also called Ihlengården. It was later owned by Blegeberg (daughter and son-in-law of Ihlen). Several families lived there, including their relatives. Opsahl 11-1 The backyard of Braathen farm with the outbuilding. The entire house burned down in 2011. Opsahl 13 The Paulsen family's house in Dynge. The outbuilding on the left has been demolished, while the farmhouse on the right still stands. Opsahl R001 Langebakk photographed from Vendelborg in the direction of Dynge. The nearest house belonged to Karen Fisker, then Thoresen and Laugerud with an old outhouse. The man in the photo is Nils Paulsen (Gabbe), who lived in the outhouse at Paulsen's (cf.R001). He had TV license no. 8 in Norway, and the outhouse became a gathering place for people in the area. Opsahl R005 The old Haugsund school. The building is practically unchanged today. Opsahl ØEK037 Street section from Dynge. The house closest to the left belonged to Kulland, who had an ice house for salmon that was to be shipped by rail (the ice house is not in the photo). The next house belonged to Nils Paulsen - relative (uncle?) of Nils Paulsen in photo R005. The house on the right belonged to Olga Amundsen. Opsahl ØEK101 Photo from Langebakk, taken from Vendelborg towards Dynge (cf.R005) Closest is the flat roof of Ishuset, then Elvehuset. The photo is taken from Hillerens hus (Timberli). Outbuildings down towards the river. Opsahl ØEK102 Street from Dynge. From the left we see the houses of Andreas Engebretsen ("The Count") - his sons Georg, Odd and Arne were good football players. The next house belonged to Julius Grimnes (now belongs to his daughter Turid Skyba), and then Amundsen (cf. ØEK001). Opsahl ØEK899 Street section from Dynge. The photo was taken at the same location as ØEK899, but in the opposite direction. Opsahl ØEK900 Pictures from Gamle-Hokksund Opsahl 103_0301_JFR Opsahl CRW_0499_JFR Kristof014 Opsahl VOP145 Opsahl VOPS846 Opsahl VOPS861 Opsahl ØEK039 Opsahl ØEK040 Opsahl ØEK090 Opsahl ØEK933 Sundbakken Pictures Opsahl 39 Opsahl N36 Opsahl scan 2021 465 Opsahl scan 2021 ny152 Opsahl scan 2021 new159 Opsahl Vidar232 Opsahl Vidar233 Opsahl Vidar234 Opsahl Vidar235 Opsahl Vidar236 Opsahl Vidar238-20x30 Opsahl Vidar239-20x30 Opsahl Vidar242-20x30 Opsahl Vidar258 Opsahl Vidar259 Opsahl Vidar262 Opsahl Vidar263 Opsahl Vidar264 Opsahl Vidar309 Opsahl VO11 127 Opsahl VO11 214 Opsahl VO12 379-66 Opsahl VO14 621 Opsahl VO14 622 Opsahl VO14 623 Opsahl VO14 627 Opsahl VO14 629 Opsahl VO14 630 Opsahl VO14 631 Opsahl VO14 636 Opsahl VO14 641 Opsahl VO14 642 Opsahl VO018 Opsahl VO019 - 92 Opsahl VO027 - 98 VO055-May81 Opsahl VO13546 Opsahl VO13571 Opsahl VO15812 Opsahl VO15813 Opsahl VO15842 Opsahl VO15922 Opsahl VOP263 Opsahl VOP271 Opsahl VOP273 Opsahl VOP278 Opsahl VOP448-jan01 Opsahl VOPS523 Opsahl VOPS544 Opsahl VOPS633 Opsahl VOPS634 Opsahl VOPS635 Opsahl VOPS882 Opsahl ØEK041 Opsahl ØEK119 Opsahl ØEK121 Opsahl ØEK745 Opsahl ØEK758 - 03 Opsahl ØEK814 Opsahl ØEK843 Opsahl ØEK847 Opsahl ØEK859 Opsahl ØEK863 Opsahl ØEK865 Opsahl ØEK866 Opsahl ØEK868 Opsahl ØEK874 Opsahl ØEK881 Opsahl ØEK882 Opsahl ØEK925 Opsahl ØEK927 Opsahl ØEK937

Photo registration 2025 During 2025, we will arrange a number of photo evenings in Nøstetangen Café at Sorenskrivergården. Here the public can help with information about the images, but everyone is welcome, whether they can contribute information or not. Thursday 27/3 at 7:00 PM Thursday 24/4 at 7:00 PM Thursday 25/9 at 7:00 PM Thursday 23/10 at 7:00 PM Thursday 20/11 at 7:00 PM

THE EIKER SONG FROM 1756 Notification from the Eiker Parnassus (Translated from Danish) From Eiker’s lofty Muses' choir, A stern decree resounds entire: "A warning now to all the town: No verses here with shameful frown! No poetry of such disgrace Shall dare pollute our sacred place. Beware! If someone pens such trash, They’ll feel our wrath descend in flash! No mean-spirited rhymes or jaded tone Shall ever reach Apollo’s throne. Though Grubler's pen might stir the street, Or Skildrer’s jest the folk repeat, No sulky soul nor grumpy song Will mingle in our artful throng. We seek no lines of wrinkled spite, Nor joyless scribes who dread the light. The world is dark and grim enough— Why spread more shade with solemn stuff? But let the breeze through birches play, Let sunlight cheer the hills of May. Let happiness in verses dwell, Where warmth and friendship rise and swell!" Thus speaks the Muse, her word is law— A cheerful tone must strike with awe. So bend your rhyme with joy and grace, Let kindness fill the metered space. Then you may knock upon our gate— A smile will be your welcome fate.

The Plank nobility In the 16th and 17th centuries, the lumber trade and sawmill operations were dominated by lords, county governors and other central officials - both nobles and commoners - who operated on behalf of the King, but who also had private interests in this profitable trade. By the 18th century, the Crown had withdrawn from this industry entirely, and the role of the civil servants had been taken over by merchants, who were largely bourgeois on Bragernes or Strømsø. This was the new upper class, known as the "merchant patriciate" or "plankeadel". In the mid-18th century, the sawmill industry was completely dominated by a handful of families, who had largely intermarried with each other – Cudrio, Smith, Stranger, Wiel, Arbo, Cappelen and Hofgaard. The latter two had particular connections to Eiker – Cappelen as owner of Fossesholmgodset and Hofgaard as owner of the sawmills at Hoen and in Mjøndalen. But the others also owned and leased sawmills both in Eiker and in other villages. Several of them were also involved in the timber trade, but there were also several smaller players involved. With a luxurious lifestyle and high luxury consumption, this upper class also led the way in cultural developments, from clothing fashions to ornamental objects made of silver and glass or exotic consumer goods such as tobacco, sugar, coffee, tea, wine and spirits. These became consumer goods that the wider population also tried to acquire to the best of their ability – and which led parish priest Hans Strøm to chastise the Eikværingen for their excessive penchant for luxury in his "Physical-Oeconomistic Description of Eger Præstegield".

Ironworks - Hassel and Eidsfos Hasselverket Da glassverket på Nøstetangen startet opp i 1741. var Hasselverket alt en veletablert bedrift, mer enn hundre år gammelt og et anerkjent jernverk. Det produserte både smijern, som smedene brukte som råstoff til sine produkter, og mange typer støpejernsprodukter. Mest kjent – både i samtid og ettertid – var nok Hassel for sine «jernkakkelovner», med jernplater som var små kunstverk. De ble støpt i treformer med utskjæringer som var laget av noen av de fremste treskjærerne i landet. Rokokkoperioden på siste halvdel av 1700-tallet regnes som en storhetstid for denne ovnskunsten, og rokokko-ovnene fra Hassel er en interessant parallell til glasskunsten fra Nøstetangen i samme periode. Motivene var hentet fra bibelhistorien, men også fra gresk og romersk mytologi. Landets konger ble også hyllet, og noen av de aller rikeste borgerne kunne også spesialbestille ovner med sitt eget monogram. Eiere i denne perioden var familien Neumann, slektninger av Cappelen på Fossesholm og medlemmer av det lokale handelspatrisiatet. Jacob Hansen Neumann var eier fra 1746 til han døde i 1777. Deretter sto enken hans, Verkets hovedgruver lå i Hasselåsen på Modum, men det hadde også gruver andre steder på Eiker og ikke minst ved Arendal, der det ble utvunnet jernmalm av en helt spesiell kvalitet, som ble fraktet sjøveien til Eiker. Selve verket med den store masovnen lå ved Daler på Eiker og ble drevet med vannkraft fra Bingselva. Sammen med sagbrukene, som lå litt lenger ned i elva, la det grunnlaget for tettstedet Skotselv Eidsfos Ironworks Eidsfos ironworks was started in 1697 by Caspar Herman von Hausmann – grandfather of Caspar Herman von Storm, who played such a central role at the Nøstetangen glassworks. The ironworks was located in Hof parish in Jarlsberg county, but it was still connected to Eiker in several ways. Many of the works' mines were located in the area between Drammensdalen and Eikeren – most at Konnerud, but also partly at Eiker. The farmers at Eiker were probably involved in ore hauling for the works and in deliveries of coal and wood. Together with Kongsberg Sølvverk and Hassel ironworks, Eidsfos was a competitor for Nøstetangen in the fight for forest resources. Much of the transport to and from Eidsfos also went through Eiker. Ore and other goods for the plant were rowed up the Drammenselva and Vestfosselva rivers to Vestfossen and onward by sailing yacht across Fiskumvannet and Eikeren. Together with the timber rafting and the transport of goods for the Silver Plant, the transport to Hassel and Eidsfos made the waterway at Eiker an important transport artery. It helped to employ a growing population of farmhands and workers.

Nøstetangen's neighbors: Haugsund, Hoen and Prestegården Haugsund Haugsund was not the largest of the settlements on Eiker, but it was in the process of establishing itself as a center for the local administration. It was where the town council meetings were held and where the sheriff lived. Sundstedet was an important hub, with a railway station and inns. The population consisted of timber floaters, char fishermen and salmon fishermen, but also some craftsmen and workers who were connected to the farms on Hoen and Vendelborg. It was a rapidly growing settlement. The Hoen farms The farms Øvre Hoen and Nedre Hoen had considerable dirt roads, but primarily these farms were among the most valuable in the village because of their other "glories". The owner of Øvre Hoen from 1751 was Jens Hofgaard, a well-known lumber merchant and proprietor and the man who commissioned the Hoenspokalen. The mill and sawmill operations in Hoenselva were significantly expanded during his time. Nedre Hoen belonged to the Winther family. They owned a sawmill and mill at Hellefossen, but the greatest value was the rich salmon fishing below the farm. Jens Hofgaard at Hoen - a proprietor and his use Situations Cart over Hoen 1783/84 - who was Jens Irgens? The Winther family on the Hoen farms The Hoen farms in 1765 Eker rectory The parish priest was the most important civil servant in the local community. People had regular contact with him through church services and other church activities, and the churchyard was an important gathering place, where public announcements were read and where news was spread by word of mouth. In addition, the parish priest, together with the chaplain, bells and other assistants, was responsible for important tasks such as school and poor relief. The church and rectory thus became an important center. The Church and the parish priests Schools and poor relief

The community above Hellefossen The exhibition "Society under Hellefossen" was presented in the new exhibition areas of the Nøstetangen Center in the summer of 2023. Here, a fantastic exhibition and a historical journey about life on and along the river under Hellefossen were presented. 3D presentation from the 2023 exhibition Hilmar Olsen Old Hokksund Laundry in Drammenselva