Forsaströms järnbruk

Former ironworks by the Storån in Forsaström, with a restored mill and water wheel, plus a small museum in the old works warehouse.

Opening hours unknown

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About the museum

Forsaströms järnbruk (Forsaström ironworks) received its privilege in 1725. By the Storån, between the lakes Getryggen and Båtsjön, the water forms four falls with a total fall height of 18 metres, and the rapids drove the forges. Through a dispute over the rights to charcoal, the works came under the control of the Kopparverket (copper works) in the 1770s. Charcoal was transported to the blast furnace and forges by horse-drawn charcoal carts (kolryssar), while ore came from nearby mines and from Utö in the Stockholm archipelago.

Around 1790 a brickworks was set up on the northern side of the rapids. In the 1880s the works were hit by the great ironworks crisis (bruksdöden), and iron production was replaced by the generation of electricity. The mill and the brickworks remained; milling continued until 1952, and the brickworks closed in 1965.

When the mill building was threatened with demolition, it was taken over by the Gärdserum local heritage association, which restored it and built a new dam and a new water wheel. The old machinery is well preserved, and on special occasions visitors can hear the water wheel's blades and see flour being milled. There is a museum in the old works warehouse.

Highlights

Restored mill with well-preserved machinery and a new water wheel
Museum in the old works warehouse
Four falls in the Storån with 18 metres of fall height
Flour is milled on special occasions