This is Fridhem. A property at Lida. It was built back in 1922. The builder was my maternal grandfather, Oskar Andersson, who never lived here himself. Fridhem has an interesting story. When the rail-road to Stockholm opened a little over a century ago, many new businesses came with it. In Tungelsta that meant a number of new laundries. Fridhem was one of them. Here is the interesting part. Back in the 1920s cars imported from North America were transported in wooden containers. Anyone who wanted could get the timber from the containers for free, at the harbour in Stockholm, as long as they paid for the transportation. And all the buildings seen here (except for the modern garage), was built with that wood. If you look closely on the second photo that I took inside the big laundry barn you can still read what was written on the wooden containers. On the third photo you can see the wringer building. The laundry closed many years ago. Since the 1930s someone from the Björklund family has always lived here, and once every year, Karl Gustaf Björklund usually has a big yard sale here. Earlier this summer I visited what turned out to be the last sale. Because just a few weeks ago Karl Gustaf, who is in his eighties, moved out after selling the property to a developer. So it is very likely that all the buildings, except for the house soon will be gone. And with it a part of Tungelsta history. I have talked to a few members of the historical association and hopefully they can perhaps save one of the buildings. If not I have at least been there on two occasions lately to document it all.
11 comments:
Such an interesting family story.
Fascinating! Never knew that. Maybe we're related...one of my relatives in Sweden was an Oskar Andersson...
Nice shots, Steffe...hopefully, some of the buildings were be saved from the bulldozers.
It's good you have such an interest in the history of your surroundings. I hope you are successful in saving at least part of this.
elles sont belles ces deux maisons, j'aime bien la vieille maison, une maison fantôme avec une histoire
they are nice these two houses, I like well the old home, a home ghost with a history
Good story, I hope something will be saved of these building, at least those planks written in the States long time ago.
Half of the sheds in the fields around here were built with the steel plates US troops used to reinforce runways during last war.
Fascinating. At least the lumber outlasted the cars.
Interesting story, Steffe! That American wood came a long way before ended up there! I love the third photo best of the little red building. I also hope they can save the building from the bulldozer!
Vogen Poet's comment about the US steel plates used for sheds is interesting, too! Groovy posting!
Nice post and very interesting story! These buidings are lovely. Looks so idyllic and peaceful there.
Traditional Swedish timber houses are naturally beautiful!
My parents built a cabin at ostnora badet using containerwood from Wellgard's dealership. Don't know if it's still there.
It was a popular name back then, and still is. He had many brothers and sisters and quite a few of them moved to North America.
Spot on, I can't say that I see too many cars from the 1920s these days!
I did not know that Mr. Poet.
It can look very idyllic during the winter. Check out this photo.
Östnorabadet is a popular place even today. One of my uncle's had a place there for many years.
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