The farm Dombestein is located on the southern side of the Nordfjord between Davik and Isane in the Davik parish. Ancient finds show that people have lived there since time immemorial. In 1850, the farm was turned into a centre for the then Davik municipality with a trading post and inn, post office and steamer stop. Nowadays the Wiese house reminds us of the important position Dombestein used to have.
Kirkevollen is one of two listed public officials' buildings in Førde, the bailiff residence at Bruland being the other. It is beautifully situated at Løken with the church behind it. This handsome house has an obscure history, being built perhaps on the island of Svanøy in the late 18th century.
The elegant white house below the church at Eivindvik is called "Herresalen" and was the residence of "the second creator of Eivindvik", dean Niels Griis Alstrup Dahl (1778 - 1852).
Villa Lorna is the only "Swiss" villa in Balestrand, which is built above the main road. However, the fjord is only a short distance away and the view is perhaps at its most spectacular just here. Villa Lorna was built by an engineer, James Livesey. He had travelled the world, building railways. At the age of 74 he settled in Balestrand during the summers.
About one kilometre from Balestrand towards Kvamsøy we find a beautiful building by the fjord. This is the old Bailiff residence - called Futegarden - which was built by a Danish bailiff in the 1790s. The bailiffs of Ytre Sogn lived here for about a hundred years. In our century it has been used as rich men's homes, hotel, summer residence, school and asylium for refugees. Today the building is a family run pension with reception rooms. The family has preserved the building's style and distinctive character.
Gertrude Abbott (1866 - 1951) came from Philadelphia, USA. When she came to Norway and Balestrand, she fell in love with the place. She returned every summer until WWII. She died in her home in Philadelphia.
Eilert Adelsteen Normann (1848-1918) was going to be a merchant like his father, but ended up in Düsseldorf as an artist. He stayed in Germany for the rest of his life. In 1890 Normann bought a property in Balestrand and built the village's first house in drakestil (from the carved dragons which decorated the roof ridges etc.).