Archaeological excavations show that the first peoples were here 12,000 years ago and were hunter-gatherers.

Trading began here in 1814, and it’s thanks to the arrival of huge amounts of herring during the 19th century that Øksfjord developed and grew as a town.

During World War II a Norwegian raid blew up the machinery at the herring oil factory. Øksfjord was destroyed by Nazis when they evacuated in 1944.

Kjøllefjord has been a trading post and fishing village since the 16th century. Kjøllefjord traded with the Sami in the areas south of the peninsula. The author Jonas Lie wrote in one of his novels from Kjøllefjord about the way of life here around 1750:

“Kjøllefjord is a gathering place for goods and produce of Finnmark, that are loaded onto ships from Bergen and Denmark, and the village is a port of call for Russian sloops trading along the coast as a refuge for foreign ships sailing the seas to Archangelsk. The place is always a hive of activity”.

When the Nazis retreated in 1944, Kjøllefjord was burned to the ground and the residents were evacuated. The entire town was replanned and rebuilt and nine fishing wharves were constructed, so the town grew quickly.

Mehamn was permanently settled in 1819, when three families moved here. The families moved here because of the proximity to the rich fisheries of the Barents Sea. The entire town was destroyed during World War II.

Mehamn is known for the whaling controversy that occurred in the early 20th century. In 1885 a whaling station opened at Mehamn. The fishermen began complaining that the whaling was affecting their livelihood as the whales were used to lure the fish closer to land.

Years of conflict came to a head in 1903, when the fishermen had gathered in Mehamn for a festival and after lots of alcohol attacked the whaling station. The military had to be called in, but by the time they got there the conflict had settled down. Whaling was banned the following year.

The current Båtsfjord was likely populated around the beginning of the 19th century, as in 1852 there were 26 inhabitants. The population boom took place in the early 20th century, when Hamningberg began to experience stagnation due to poor harbour conditions, and Båtsfjord had a much more suitable harbour. Since boats with motors were now being used, it wasn’t as important to be close to the fisheries anymore. by 1909, as many as 300-400 boats with 3000-4000 men were moored at Båtsfjord. 

Whaling stations have been in Båtsfjord since the late 19th century. 

Båtsfjord was not too badly damaged during World War II. Around 27 buildings were burned down but most survived, so Båtsfjord was the supply base during the reconstruction period. 

People have lived around the area of Berlevåg for hundreds of years, but the modern settlement wasn’t established until the mid-19th century.

After the Nazis retreated in 1944, Berlevåg was left in ruins. The buildings were burned to the ground, livestock was slaughtered, and the locals were forced to evacuate or flee and hide in caves. Berlevåg was the first place in Norway where the Nazis used the scorched earth tactic. 

The original settlement of Vadsø was on the island of Vadsøya, and finds there indicate permanent settlement since the medieval times. The oldest excavations show that people have bene here for 9,000 years. 

During the 17th century the population relocated to the mainland, and in 1717 the church was moved. 

During World War II, Vadsø was at times the headquarters for the approximately 2,000 German troops. The centre of the town was badly damaged when the Allies bombed the town in 1944. In spite of the bombing almost one third of the towns buildings were left standing. Today Vadsø has more preserved pre-war buildings than anywhere else on Finnmark. 

I’ve written a detailed overview of the history of Vadsø, which you can see below. 

Archaeological excavations show evidence of settlements in the area around Vardø that are more than 4,500 years old. Vardø, however, was mentioned for the first time in history in 1307, when a church and fortress were built here. 

Vardø received its town charter on the 17th of July 1789, making it one of the oldest towns in Northern Norway. Until 1850, Vardø was a small fishing community, however during the years 1850-1910 the population increased dramatically. The good fishing stocks and the Pomor Trade gave grounds for optimism in the area.

Vardø was of great importance to the Nazi forces during World War II and was the last place in Norway to surrender to the Nazis after the occupation in April 1940. The town became a strategic location for monitoring the movement of the Allied shipping to Russia. Two thirds of the town was destroyed during the war years, and Vardø was subject ot Soviet air raids. When the Nazis retreated, they did burn down large parts of the town.