Vestre Gausdal, Oppland, Norway
The storage building here is undoubtedly the oldest building here. It may go back to the 1600's.
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| The house has been remodeled but still maintains the original shape. | The barn has some historical elements. |
This farm has a spectacular setting with the
sheer rock walls behind and river running down below. It
was occupied by several generations of the same family and is
one of the earliest in my Norwegian research. Records for
this area seem to be particularly difficult to find. If
the dates are correct this family is here many years before
Christopher Columbus discovered America.
Like many of the old farms in Norway, the under-laying structure of the house is probably of horizontal logs. It is then clad in vertical boards. It has probably been remodeled many times over the years and this may not be the original structure although it may have followed the same plan. The storage building gives some idea how it is built together and it may be the oldest remaining building on the farm. The farmers fill these buildings with meat, grain and vegetables to get them through the winter. They are elevated to keep out the snow, rodents and bears. The bell on the building is typical of most farms. It was used to call the workers from the field for meals but also used in times of distress to call the neighbors for help. This is especially important at the times of fire. The present farm seems to be owned by an absentee landlord who subleases the property to another resident part time farmer.
Like many of the old farms in Norway, the under-laying structure of the house is probably of horizontal logs. It is then clad in vertical boards. It has probably been remodeled many times over the years and this may not be the original structure although it may have followed the same plan. The storage building gives some idea how it is built together and it may be the oldest remaining building on the farm. The farmers fill these buildings with meat, grain and vegetables to get them through the winter. They are elevated to keep out the snow, rodents and bears. The bell on the building is typical of most farms. It was used to call the workers from the field for meals but also used in times of distress to call the neighbors for help. This is especially important at the times of fire. The present farm seems to be owned by an absentee landlord who subleases the property to another resident part time farmer.
"The eldest man of the lineage is with certainty is the famous Bjorn Gulbrandsen Kraabol, where in 1400 - We find the name that use of farm Kraabol in Vestre Gausdal. The farm is the old hub "kraakuboli." Everything else for him is something doubtful and obscure. Therefore also his birth and his wife's name, but a manual search finds the name in 1440. His son, Olav Bjornsen Kraabol, b. About 1460. The family is otherwise without other births at Kraabol and vilanforer same only the part leads to the Stene and thence Vaals. The named owner of Kraabol, with whom we have written records and the names of the eldest son.
(Gunnersen 15)
If the meaning of the name as "old hub" is
correct it may have come from the fact that this farm is on a
major road leading over the mountains. It could have
been used as a way station of some sort from the sea to the
in-land farms and Lake Mjosa.
Bjorn Gulbrandsen of Kråbøl/Kraabol
b. 1430 Kråbøl nedre, Vestre Gausdal, Oppland, Norway
d. 1467 Vestre Gausdal, Oppland, Norway[Gausdalssleckt]
