Juthbacka manor

Juuttaantie 34 Uusikaarlepyy

The history of the Juthbacka farm extends to the 1600s. Dozens of people and associations have owned it during the centuries of its existence. The present Gustavian Juthbacka manor house was built in 1821. In those days, it was owned by Lieutenant Carl Backman (1770–1834). The designer is unknown. The former manor building was burned by Russians during the Greater Wrath in 1714, after which the farm long remained uninhabited.

Carl Backman’s widow Regina Backman continued to run the manor until her death in 1844. Even though the history of the manor is full of setbacks, in the devastating fire of Uusikaarlepyy in 1858 it miraculously remained untouched, just like the church and Kuddnäs. These precious buildings can be visited even today.

Some owners of the manor were significant for the development of the region, such as Woldemar and Elisabeth Backman, both born in 1870, who served as physicians in various localities of the Swedish-speaking Ostrobothnia. Woldemar contributed to the building of the Malm hospital in Pietarsaari, largely financed by the testament of Otto Malm in 1908. Woldemar faced a lot of opposition in the long decision-making process regarding the hospital. Elisabeth managed to found a maternity hospital in Pietarsaari in 1906, and led it for about ten years. She also served as occupational health physician at the Strengberg tobacco factory. Both doctors represented modern medicine. Woldemar also wrote for various papers about medicine and health care as well as genealogy.

Stories

In the years of widow Regina Backman in the 1830s and early1840s, soirées were often organised in Juthbacka that featured music, dance, theatre, pageants and costume balls. Excursions were also common. Zachris Topelius Jr, who grew up in Kuddnäs, was also seen at these events, and he reminisced warmly in his diaries about the manor’s young women. (http://www.nykarlebyvyer.nu/sidor/texter/prosa/mannil/juthb/00jutrm.htm)