Itäniemi crown croft

Itäniementie Lestijärvi

 

The Itäniemi crown croft was established in the 1840s. Kaarlo (Kalle) Itäniemi bought the area from the state and made the farm independent in the 1930s. He extended the farm after having earned money as a blacksmith in America working on mines and railways. In addition to the main building, the farm had several outbuildings: two drying barns, a windmill, a cattle house, a separate stall, a granary, several hay barns, a smoke sauna, and a smithy. Besides agricultural products, tar and wood charcoal were also produced. In the late 1940s, Kalle sold the farm and moved to Reisjärvi. In Itäniemi – which has become a summer cottage area – the long-unoccupied main building still existed in autumn 2018. You can also find the relics of a tar kiln and coal pit near the farm.