Telemark Fylke

Telemark is one of fifteen Norwegian administrative districts (fylke) located in the country's southeastern part. Established under Danish rule as Bratsberg, it was renamed in 1919. It has an area of 5906 square miles, about the size of the state of Connecticut, and a population of less than that of Sioux Falls, SD. Historically, the fylke was divided into two distinct regions: Upper Telemark inland in the north and Grenland in the south, a flatter region closer to the coast. Upper Telemark was traditionally further divided into Aust-Telemark and Vest-Telemark.

The geography is incredibly varied, with hills and mountains, dramatic waterfalls, a stretch of archipelago coastline, and many large and small lakes and waterways that cut the countryside into a confused network of valleys. The dense pine forests for which the area is named provided ample lumber for the all-timber medieval stave churches and plentiful encouragement for stories of trolls and hulder.

The terrain invites outdoor adventure from the Hardangervidda plateau to the Skagerakk strait. The region is considered the birthplace of modern skiing and Telemark skiing, with its dramatic turns and jumps, developed on its wild, steep slopes in the 1800s. The view from Mount Gausta, Telemark’s tallest mountain, is said to show you a full 1/6th of Norway, a fantastic incentive for a hike. The waterways, cradled by hills and mountains or meandering through coastal islands, offer opportunities for exploration by boat or kayak.

While these features make for inspirational landscapes, historically, they made travel difficult and isolated the region from the rest of the country until the late 1800s. Because of this, the people held on to older customs in ways that uniquely preserved Norse culture.

The old languages were spoken longer, and the dialect there still resembles the Old Norse language. The traditional folk dress continued for so long that when the bunad movement started, many in Telemark still wore the traditional costume, or it was out of use but still in grandma’s attic. The old stories, songs, and poems were familiar long enough to be preserved, and more folktales have been recorded there than anywhere else. Telemark is rich with visible history and is home to more than half of Norway’s buildings from medieval times. It is also home to the oldest civil building in existence, with timbers dating back to 1167. A patronymic naming system persisted until 1923 when fixed surnames were nationally mandated. And the artistry of silver work, embroidery, rosemaling, and sculpture is not only everywhere you look; it has been continued in an unbroken tradition. It is no wonder the country looked to Telemark when it needed to define a national identity after gaining independence.

While most of the Upper Telemark area remains rural, Grenland and its cities of Skien, Porsgrunn, and Kragerø are more urban and are well-connected to larger population centers by rail or bus. The influence of seafaring and trade with continental Europe may account for the forward-thinking plays produced by Skein’s most famous offspring, Henrik Ibsen, in the latter half of the 1800s.

Although agriculture predates it, Telemark has been the industrial heart of Norway for many years. Mining, timber, paper mills, hydropower, heavy water, and fertilizer have motivated creative and elaborate transportation engineering in its interior. The Telemark Canal, built for industry but now a tourist attraction, is a National Cultural Heritage site.

Despite its charms, Telemark experienced the same economic problems as the rest of the country towards the end of the 19th century, which led to immigration to the United States. There were not enough farms to inherit or enough agriculture to support a booming population. An estimated 44,000 people from Telemark left to seek their fortunes in the American midwest by 1915. Although they could not bring Mount Gausta with them, these pioneers carried the culture and tenacity of Telemark and Old Norway into their new country and endeavors. Over time, ties to Noway necessarily diminished, but many Norwegian American organizations, including Telaget, have worked to ensure that they have never entirely vanished.