Inns and Guesthouses Many of those living along the main travel routes were likely able to host travelers, serve food and drink, and offer lodging for a small fee. However, if such activity was to be conducted on a somewhat larger scale, a royal license was required. These licenses were issued by the Rentekammer (Treasury Chamber) in Copenhagen, likely based on recommendations from local officials. At the same time, the innkeepers and guesthouse operators were required to pay an annual fee, which the bailiff was responsible for collecting. Therefore, the archive of the County Governor in Buskerud contains considerable information about who was engaged in such activity. From the Rentekammer’s order, dated 3 November 1759, to the bailiff Egger Madsen Fisker: Since it has graciously pleased His Royal Majesty to grant the following Royal Licenses for the operation of inns and guesthouses within the jurisdictions of Hurum, Røyken, Eiker, Lier, and Buskerud, entrusted to him, subject to payment of an annual fee in addition to what has previously been ordered or may be ordered henceforth, namely: Eiker Parish 16. Nils Sutterud from the settlement of Sutterud –                     1 rigsdaler 17. The widow of the late citizen Augustinus – from Lille Steenset –            48 skilling 18. Peder Augustinusen – from the settlement Sanden under Temte –        18 skilling 19. The resident of the holding Frognes under Haug Vicarage –              48 skilling 20. Lars Thosen from the settlement Bacherud near Vestfossen –           24 skilling 21. Tore Clausen, innkeeping on the Fossesholm side –                    1 rigsdaler 22. Rasmus Schiestad on the Semb side –                           1 rigsdaler 48 skilling 23. Peder Augustinussen – likewise –                                   1 rigsdaler 24. Ingeborg Sperren – likewise –                                    1 rigsdaler By Hokksund on the eastern side of the river 25. Richardt Gram –                                            1 rigsdaler 26. The widow of Peder Andersen –                                1 rigsdaler

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

What did it cost back then in the 18th century? In the Danish-Norwegian coinage system, the rigsdaler species was the main coin from 1544 to 1813, and in Norway it was usually called daler or species. In 1625, 1 rigsdaler = 4 ort = 6 marks = 96 shillings Skilling was a unit of currency used in Norway between 1505 and 1875. Converted to today's exchange rate, one skilling was worth approximately 1.50 NOK. Courant or kurant means small coin. 10 kroner for us was equivalent to 3,655 kroner in 1701. This corresponds to a price increase from 1701 to 2012 of 36,450%. The krone was introduced in 1875 in both Norway and Denmark. Salaries A servant who worked for a farmer earned 10-12 rigsdaler a year, but also had room and board. A maid had half the salary, 5-6 rigsdaler. In a year, a miner could earn 50 rigsdaler. In Norway, glass workers became a high-wage group. Cabin manager Christian Fillion at the crown glass cabin (window glass) in Hurdal 288 rigsdaler a year Blows away 192 rigsdaler a year in the same place Starts at the same place 120 rigsdaler a year In addition, various bonus schemes came in the amount of 3 - 6 riksdaler per month. Schoolmaster in the same place in 1776 28 rigsdaler a year Unskilled Norwegian workers 36-72 rigsdaler a year Salaries compared to Kongsberg Sølvverk The salaries are based on the Silver Works' accounts during the years the Skarra mines were in operation (1770-1798). 1st class miners: Exceeds 120 rigsdaler a year Sharpens 120 rigsdaler a year Prices Beef, 14-15 kilos: 1 rdl Clipfish, 8-20 kilos: 1 rdl Herring, 1 barrel: 3 rdl Sugar, 1 kilo: 1 tbsp Butter, 4-5 kilos: 1 tbsp Tobacco, 3 kilos: 1 rdl Barley flour, 1 barrel (139 liters): 3 rdl Spirits, simple, 1 pot (1 liter): 16 shillings/1 mark (1/6 daler) Wild boar, large: 1 1/2 rdl Young sheep: 1 place Goose, 3 pieces: 1 rdl Cow, 1 pc: 2-5 rdl Horse, old: 5-6 rdl Bricks, 144 pieces: 1 rdl Brass kettle: 1/2 rdl Silver bowl, large: 30 rdl Plate, 2 shillings Coffin, painted and well-studded: 1 rdl Chest with carvings: 15 rdl Duvet cover and duvet cover, used: 3 rdl per piece Sheet, fine canvas with "knippel", used: 1 3/4 rdl Sheets, striped, used: 1st place Bible, large: 8 pages Hat, "high-polled", black: 1/2 rdl Shoes or boots, one pair: 1 1/2 ort Hose, one pair: 12 shillings Paddy flour, gray, a cubit: 12 shillings Skirt, purchased (used): 2-3 1/2 rdl Cemetery space: 2 rdl Wax candles that burned on the altar during a funeral: 4-6 rdl For a blood donor to open a vein for bloodletting: 8 shillings

Movies about the war The Gunhildrud Tragedy is a 2024 film that tells the story of the dramatic events that took place on April 24, 1945 in the area around Gunhildrudsetra on the west side of Eikeren. The film is produced by the Well-being and Coping Center in Øvre Eiker municipality, and Anders Fossesholm and Bjørn Rørdam Bergersen are responsible for the script and direction. Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes. Watch a short clip from the film here: The entire film can be downloaded from Eiker Archive/Eikerhistorie: The Gunhildrudtragedien 6.7 GB - download time approx. 10 minutes

Eikerminne is now available at the National Library Spokes Archive The National Archives - Genealogy Research Terra Buskerud-Historieboka

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

Who are we? "Eikerhistorie 2025-2027" is a project under the auspices of the association EIKERHISTORIE, which is a umbrella organization where other voluntary organizations in Eiker can be members. Members as of today are Eiker History Society, Eiker Archives/Sameia Cultural Heritage Society, Nøstetangen Center, Hellefoss River Owners Association and Østsiden Hunters and Fishermen's Association. It may be appropriate to invite more participants during the project period. This project is a continuation of the collaboration around the exhibition "Society under Hellefossen", which was shown at the Nøsteangen Norwegian Glass Museum in the summer of 2023. In In connection with this project, the website “eikerhistorie.no” was established as a joint platform for storing and exchanging historical sources and documentation. This is a cloud storage solution based on Microsoft O365 (Sharepoint), with backup on local servers. The purpose of the project is to develop eikerhistorie.no into a general knowledge base for everyone who works with Eiker's history, but at the same time point out some special focus areas in the period 2025-2027. Spoke history Main Street 7 3303 Hokksund Org. no.: 933550028 E-mail: Arkiv@eikerhistorie.no

Fossesholm Manor Written by Bent Ek In the mid-18th century, the estate economy at Eiker was in complete disarray. The large Sems estate had been divided up after Lieutenant Colonel Richelieu went bankrupt in 1719, and in 1743 the main farm itself was bought by the farmer's widow Olaug Pedersdatter on the neighboring farm Berg and divided into two farms. Skjelbred at Fiskum was divided up after the death of the mining councillor Niels Mechlenbourg in 1713, and the division of the Ulleland estate at Skotselv began when the county magistrate Vilhelm de Tonsberg died in 1731. The exception to this development was the manor house Fossesholm at Vestfossen. This estate was also divided, in the sense that it was divided between a number of owners belonging to the same family. However, one of these owners – Gabriel von Cappelen – pursued a determined acquisition of farm shares, and in 1762/63 his son – Jørgen von Cappelen – was able to buy out the last co-owners, so that he became the sole owner. While the other estates on Eiker had disintegrated, Fossesholm still had a significant land and forest estate, with underlying farms between Vestfossen and Fiskumvannet and stretches of forest on both sides of the Eikeren. One half of the settlement of Vestfossen, with five large sawmills, also belonged to the estate. The Cappelen family had been involved in the timber trade for several generations, based in Bragernes, but Jørgen had become a wealthy man as a supplier to Kongsberg Sølvverk. In 1763, he was 58 years old, and he retired to the old manor house at Eiker with his wife, Magdalena Darjes. There they began a large-scale building project, which resulted in the manor house that we largely find on Fossesholm today. Here, the refined lifestyle of the merchant patriciate continued for another couple of generations – until it ended with a forced auction in 1822.

County magistrate, bailiff, magistrate and sheriff Throughout most of the 17th century, Eiker was a separate fief, but with its own lord and bailiff. From 1679, however, it was part of the newly established Buskerud county, and in 1708 Sigdal, Modum, Eiker, Lier, Røyken and Hurum were merged into one bailiff's office. Both the county governor and bailiff resided in or near Drammen, and they often sent deputies to the local assemblies. They were high-ranking officials, with whom the common people of Eiker only rarely came into contact. During the years that the Nøstetangen glassworks was in operation, Buskerud had only two county governors - Just Must, who held office from 1719 to 1760, and Andreas Fjeldsted, who was county governor from 1760 to 1788. The county governor's immediate subordinate was the bailiff, who was both a public prosecutor and responsible for collecting taxes and fees. Throughout most of this period - from 1749 to 1765 - Eggert Madsen Fischer was bailiff in the lower part of Buskerud. The bailiff was divided into two magistrates' offices, and the northernmost half includes Eiker, Modum and Sigdal. The magistrate did not live in Eiker either in the latter half of the 18th century. Both Giert Falch, who was magistrate from 1730 to 1753, and his successor Otto Laurentii Darjes, who held the office until 1780, both resided on the Mælum farm in Modum. However, when there was a court session at Eiker, they usually appeared there, unless they had a valid reason to do so. Such sessions were held three times a year, but "Extra-court sessions" could also be scheduled outside of this. The court sessions were held in Haugsund, but their own courtroom did not get its own location until around 1840. In the 18th century, the court was held in privately owned houses - Lieutenant Winther's house and later Madame Braun's house are constantly mentioned as "Eger's arranged courtroom". Alongside the parish priest, the sheriff was the public official who was present in the local community on a daily basis. Ever since the Middle Ages, the "farmer sheriff" had been the extended arm of the sheriff and bailiff at the local level – but at the same time the common people's spokesman towards the authorities. In the 18th century, the sheriff probably still had some of this role, but formally he was the county governor's subordinate, but responsible for maintaining law and order, collecting fines and a number of other tasks. The sheriff was no longer one of the village's large farmers, but an immigrant with roots in the bourgeoisie. In 1741, the same year that the glassworks at Nøstetangen were built, Eiker got a new sheriff - Peder Eliasen Søboholm. However, he died the following year. Then Søren Hiermind was sheriff from 1743 to 1751, Ole Høyland (hardly a relative of the famous master thief of the same name) from to 1761 and Stephanus Bagge until 1771. None of these four were born in Eiker, but all lived in Haugsund and were homeowners there. Between 1769 and 1775, Anders Høyland is also mentioned as sheriff at Eiker. He was a native of Eikværing and the son of the previous sheriff, Ole Høyland.

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 absolute monarchs and their officials The Danish-Norwegian monarchy was governed from Copenhagen, and the civil servants were the king's representatives in the local community. The highest civil servant was the county magistrate of the fairly recently established Buskerud county. It was divided into bailiffs, and Eiker was subordinate to the Buskerud county bailiff, with a bailiff residing in Lier. Eiker, Modum and Sigdal constituted a separate magistrate's office, where the magistrate during this period lived in Modum. The state's only local representative in Eiker, besides the parish priest, was thus the sheriff, who lived in Hokksund. The autocratic kings bailiff, magistrate and sheriff County officials and bailiffs Magistrates and judiciary The sheriffs at Eiker

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