User:Vc2233/sandbox/Oskarstrom

Oskarström is the second largest locality in the Halmstad Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 4,071 inhabitants in 2010. It is situated along the river Nissan about 15 km north-east of Halmstad.

Oskarström was founded by Oscar Björkman from Gothenburg, who bought the land in 1844 and erected a sawmill.

Prehistory
During the Iron Age, in current Vrenninge, there was a settled farming population. As evidence of this, there are village grave fields with Iron Age dolmen in the area. The villages Mared and Espered were probably founded in the early Middle Ages and were of approximately equal size up to the mid-1880s. During the Nordic Seven Years' War (1563-1570) the Swedes, led by commander Charles de Mornay, fought against the forces of the Danish King Frederick II at the Battle of Mared, which stood where the present Oskarström is now located. In memory of the Battle of Mared, the Halland Museum Association erected a memorial stone in 1923.

The society Oskarström
The name Oskarström comes not from the Swedish kings Oscar I or Oscar II, but from the bookkeeper Oscar Björkman who was born in Ulricehamn. In 1844, Björkman bought a piece of land with waterfalls by the Nissan River and built a sawmill on the property, which he named after himself - Oscarström. In 1850, the location's name was incorrectly written as Oskarström in the Halland County newspaper, and henceforth its name was popularized as such.

In 1885, Oscarström was purchased by Isaac Andrew and Carl Wilhelm Wallberg and the two established a hat factory in 1886. The factory employed hundreds from the district until 1888, when it was moved down to Wallenberg AB in Halmstad.

In 1890, the Oscarström Jutefabrik finished construction after just nine months of construction. This was the foundation of the modern industrial society. On January 27, 1905, Oskarström's municipal society was founded as a merger with the parishes of Enslöv and Slättåkra. As of May 15, 1936 the locality's name was officially spelled Oskarström. In 1947, Oskarström separated from the Enslöv and Slättåkra municipalities and formed the Oskarström market town, Halland's first and only market town. The ecclesiastical division between Enslöv and Slättåkra continued until 1957 when Oskarström's congregation was formed. Since 1974, Oskarström has been part of the Municipality of Halmstad.

Sports
The local bandy club is called Oskarströms BK, and the local football club is called Oskarströms IS. Oskarströms IS is currently playing in the Swedish Division 5.

Images


Category:Populated places in Halland County