In 1905, Norway became a completely free and independent country. The union with Sweden was dissolved by a parliamentary resolution of the Norwegian Storting on 7 June, 1905. This article deals with events in Vågsøy in 1905.
Haukedalen church is a basilica church in wood located at the farm of Gjerland in Haukedalen in Førde Municipality. The church, which accommodates 120 people, was consecrated on 8 July, 1885 by the dean Christopher Johannes Hammer. The architect Hartvig Sverdrup Eckhoff designed it. Haukedalen church and Holsen church are "sokn" (sub-parish) churches for Holsen and Haukedalen "sokn" of Førde parish.
Ole Wilhelm Fasting (1852-1915) was a vicar's son from Førde. He was an engineer, and worked for many years at Bergens Tekniske Skole (school of engineering), but today he is best known for his lively stories from the Sunnfjord district.
The first county hospital in Sogn og Fjordane was completed in Florø in 1933. It was based on the old Red Cross Hospital from 1926, which again was established from a hospital for fishermen from 1865. The whole town of Florø has fought hard to keep the hospital. In this way, the hospital has strengthened Florø's identity. In 1995, the hospital became a department under the Central County Hospital in Førde.
Kaupanger has always been an important historical place in Sogn. There is a reference to the place in the saga literature and it has been used as a market place, a church site, a court site, and as residences for bailiffs and county governors. The contact with the outside world took place by means of boats, but there was also a road connection between Kaupanger and Sogndal. In earlier times, this was hardly more than a good riding path. In 1848, the standard of the path was improved to a cart road, and, in 1938, a car road was built to connect with a ferry at Kaupanger. The ferry quay in the bay of Amlabukta was for a long time one of the busiest in the county.
Claus Frimann, born 1746, was vicar at Davik for 42 years. He is known as the poet vicar in Nordfjord, best known perhaps for his book "Almuens sanger" (Songs for the Common People), and in particular, the song "Den norske fisker" (The Norwegian Fisherman). In 1936, the congregation of Davik church erected a memorial dedicated to their famous poet vicar.
In the pitch-dark night in December 1944, a German convoy is sailing north across the waters of Sognesjøen. No lighthouses are lit, yet the leader boat is able to find the entrance to the strait of Krakhellesundet. So far, no enemy has been observed.
On 24 April 1945, 49 allied planes attacked war targets at Måløy. One plane was shot down and one crashed before it reached its target. Four airmen lost their lives. In the summer of 2000, a memorial stone was unveiled to commemorate them. Leif Åge Larsen was one of the persons who took the initiative to raise this monument.
Undredal is a very special small town, located about half-way into the Aurlandsfjord. Until the late 1980s, the town could only be reached by boat. Today the small town is connected by road west to Voss and Bergen as well as east to Lærdal and Oslo. The road leads down all the way to the fjord, where visitors can experience the smallest church in the Nordic countries, a well as the famous local goat cheese.
Before the city of Florø was established in 1860, the trade at Florelandet was located in the bay of Gaddevågen and at Eidet. In 1872/73, a canal was blasted and built through this strip of land.
Florø church is a so-called longchurch built in wood in the centre of Florø city. The church, which has a seating capacity of 650, was consecrated on 8 November, 1882, by the bishop Fredrik W. Hvoslef. The architect Jacob Wilhelm Nordan made the designs. Florø church was built 22 years after Florø was granted city privileges. The church became the ¿sokn" church for the Kinn ¿sokn" and is now the main church in the parish of Kinn.
The hamlet of Stalheim consists of the farms Stalheim, Brekke, Sivle and Sivlesøy in the municipality of Voss. The hamlet can be looked upon as a gateway to the valley of Nærøydalen and the area included in the World Heritage Nærøyfjorden. The name Stalheim is probably linked to the steep hillside called Stalheimskleiva, meaning "the farm at Stadall", derived from the verb "standa, stå" (stand).
Bulandet is situated on the ocean westernmost in the municipality of Askvoll, comprising ten small islands. The trading post of Kjempenes, where the inn and the general store were situated, is on the island of Musøya. This island is situated between Hillersøy to the south-west and Nikøy to the north-east. The other islands are concentrated in a north-westerly direction from Kjempenes.
Gulatinget was the assembly site for the jurisdiction of western Norway. From the early 10th century and for a period of about 400 years, the assembly at Gulen played a key role in the judicial system of this part of the country.
After the mobilization on 9 April 1940, men from the whole county of Sogn og Fjordane mustered at Bømoen at Voss. From 19 April, some 2000 men were transferred east and took part in the Valdres campaign until the capitulation on 30 April. Konrad Byrknes was one of the few who did not make it back home alive. In July 1945, a memorial stone was unveiled on his grave at Mjømna church.