Strömsdal

A village in the Finnmark, once producing bar iron and pig iron for export.

Opening times:
Middle of July: The Strömsdal day in the Säfsen week. Smithery, children’s race, market, coffee. Restaurant Hyttsjöboa open daily, food and coffe phone +46 (0)591-41023.
The tourist office +46 (0)771-626262. Info www.visitsodradalarna.se

The Strömdal blast furnace was built in 1727 and took its name from Hans Olsson Ström (1684–1761), the man who financed it. The ore came from the mines in Grängesberg, having first been transported across lake Norra Hörken to the blast furnace, in which the pig iron was extracted from the ore. The pig iron was then transported to the forge at Gravendal. Later, a rail link was established between Hörken station and Fredriksberg. The Sebastian Grave steam engine is now in the railway museum at Grängesberg.

Thanks to the railway, the capacity of the works increased, and the population of Strömsdal grew from 22 to 250. Engine sheds and sawmills were established, but the golden era was short-lived. The blast furnace was closed down in 1909 and demolished in 1919. Much still remains, including the ruin of the smelting house, together with the dams, the forge in which implements and tools were made, the manor house and the night cabin, where the smelting-house workers could spend the night. Summertime this cabin is open to the public with exhibitions and a café.