Welcome to the Iron Route
The mother parish Suur-Lohtaja was an active iron production area in the 1600s and early 1700s. The iron ore lifted from bogs and lakes was refined and processed into, for example, nails and sailing ship anchors. In Toholampi, which was part of the mother parish, iron was still being produced in the ironworks of Määttälä as late as the early 1800s. Iron industry products were exported as far as Stockholm.
Central Ostrobothnian blacksmiths were able to forge iron into elaborate utensils. The professional blacksmiths of Toholampi used to tour around village smithies, forging items such as scythes for local farms. Able blacksmiths were valued and handsomely compensated for good work.
In Toholampi you can find interesting places and stories related to iron production, blacksmith skills and old iron goods.
The first destination on the cultural heritage route is the Riuttasen mylly mill at Myllykoski rapids. Sakri Järvenoja, a famous blacksmith, participated in its founding in the 1870s. The route continues to Sepäntalo, the house where the Järvenoja brothers used to live and practise their professions. The next destination is Pajamäki, where iron was once manufactured. Today it is a heritage centre open to visitors. The journey continues to the blacksmith memorial in Määttälä, a replica of a former bloomery furnace. At the church of Toholampi, you can see the church gate built by the blacksmith Leander Nisula. This route ends at the Häkkilä museum of local history, where you can see, for example, a rather dangerous iron object: a revolver that was related to tragic murders in 1915.
Welcome to the Toholampi Iron Route!
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