A brief history of Falkängen in Hällekis

A hundred years ago, life was bustling on the street. With many families, up to 300 people could live at Falkängen. It was not uncommon for families to have six to ten children. Each family's living space was only one room and a kitchen. Here's a brief overview of Falkängen, the people, and Kinnekulle. Take a few minutes and join us on a little journey back in time.

The alum works became the first industry in 1768
The first proper industry in the area was established in 1768, which was Hönsäter's Alum Works. Alum is a salt that began to be used in medicine and as a mordant in dyeing textiles during the 17th and 18th centuries. The salt is obtained as a precipitation from alum shale with simple processes such as roasting and leaching. In the early 19th century, the production of alum peaked at 772 barrels (one barrel = 145 liters), with about 80 people working at the works.

Tunnbindare Falk och hans ko på ängen
Vid Hönsäters Alunbruk arbetade år 1800 även en tunnbindare vid namn Johan Olsson-Falk. Han föddes 1769, gifte sig år 1800, hustrun och Johan fick tio barn varav fem ej uppnådde vuxen ålder. För hjälp till försörjningen för sin familj hade han en ko som betade på skogsängen nedanför Hönsäter, ängen låg där Falkängen nu finns, och namnet Falkängen tros ha uppstått ur denna kombination; Falks äng, Falkängen.

The alum works became a lime works in 1873
The alum works was shut down in 1873 and transitioned into the lime works, which naturally absorbed the workers. In 1892, the cement factory was established, which in turn absorbed the workers from the lime works. Many workers were needed, so they were compelled to build workers' housing to encourage people to settle in Hällekis. During the years 1896-1898, the first three houses along Falkängsgatan were built by a builder from Skara. The first families moved in in 1899. A total of 8 houses were built. Free housing for one room and a kitchen was included in the foremen's salaries. The workers paid 28 SEK per year for the same area. This sum had to be paid in advance at 7 SEK per quarter.

The trade union brought about better working conditions
In 1906, the workers wanted to start their own trade union. The first meeting took place in the company's premises, as the company believed they could prevent the formation of the union this way. However, the trade union was formed and became affiliated with the Mining and Factory Workers' Union. 120 members joined at the first meeting. The subsequent meetings were held in the families' homes, where the company could not prohibit them. Over time, the working conditions for the members improved with increased basic wages, overtime pay, medical care, and sick leave benefits. The basic hourly wage, which had previously been 0,15 SEK, was raised to 0,25 SEK.

Kalkindustrin går i graven
Nedläggningen av Cementas fabrik i Hällekis startade 1973 då Cementa förvärvade Gullhögens fabrik i Skövde, då den enda konkurrenten av cementtillverkning i Sverige. 1974 gjordes en strukturutredning av Cementa vilken ledde fram till att cementfabriken i Hällekis och Köping skulle läggas ned 1978. Detta blev starten på ett intensivt arbete med att få en eller flera ersättningsindustrier till Hällekis. Det bildades en arbetsgrupp med Landshövding Karl Frittiofsson i spetsen för att försöka få detta till stånd.

Rockwool becomes the replacement industry
There were several industries interested, and the government promised location support for establishment in Hällekis, similar to what had been done in Norrland. One of the industries, Rockwool, which manufactured insulation materials, needed expansion, so they decided to build a factory with two production lines in Hällekis. Construction started in 1977, with one line expected to be completed in the fall of 1978, and the next line to be ready by the spring of 1979.

Training of Rockwool workers in Skövde
In 1977, Rockwool borrowed personnel from Cementa to train them so that the transition to the new factory would be as smooth as possible. Approximately 200 people, divided into groups of 20, went to Skövde and the Rockwool factory for theoretical and practical training. This ensured that the start of the factory in Hällekis went relatively smoothly. Rockwool is now called Paroc, and many people rely on it for their livelihoods. The factory has also been expanded in recent years.

Elsa's home becomes an apartment museum
At the Apartment Museum, you can get an insight into a home from the past. The apartment showcases Elsa Vestberg's home. Elsa was born at Falkängen in 1901, where her parents moved when the houses were newly built. Elsa's mother, Hedda Elisabeth Vestberg, passed away when Elsa was very young. Her father, Alfred Vestberg, worked at Cementa. Elsa herself worked as a cleaner at the factory's staff canteen. She had no siblings, and her home was considered to be a bit nicer than those filled with many children.
Elsa själv fick inga barn. Hon och fadern bodde inte i det som nu är museilägenhet, men den lägenhet som tagits i anspråk för att visa upp Elsas hem renoverades inte i samband med övrig renovering som påbörjades i början av 1980. Tapeterna i rummet är sannolikt från 1950-talet, kökstapeterna från 1960-talet, medan målningen i köket är betydligt äldre.
Fröken Elsa överlät sitt hem till diabetikerföreningen i länet, vilken i sin tur sålde alltsammans till Götene Kommun, som efter överenskommelse donerade hela hemmet till Skaraborgs Länsmuseum som åtog sig att möblera upp lägenheten. Under sommarsäsongen är lägenheten öppen så man kan kika in.

Move-out and move-in
The last residents, Einar and Svea Persson, moved away from here in 1982. That same year, it was decided to establish a Crafts Center at Falkängen, which was inaugurated on June 4, 1983. In nine of the premises on the ground floors facing Falkängsvägen, Falkängens Craft Association rents space during the summer season and Christmas market; approximately 60 craftsmen and artisans sell and demonstrate the production of their crafts. For a few weeks after midsummer, we also have Summer Exhibitors in our exhibition and party venue, the Gallery. The Christmas market also offers extra exhibitors in our premises, the Gallery and the Forge.

Falkängsgatan was colloquially called Blängaregatan (stare street).
(perhaps it's a tall tale, perhaps not...)
Falkängsgatan was perhaps colloquially called Blängaregatan. This was because the street was the only way to the store for those who lived on the islands in Lake Vänern. They came in their boats, docked at the harbor in Hällekis, and walked up the street to the store. When they were on their way back to their boats, the residents along the street stared at what the islanders had in their baskets from the store.

The family's children shared the clothes
The red sheds, with gray doors, lined up behind the residential houses were the outdoor toilets. At most, 63 families lived here, totaling up to 300 people. Often, there wasn't enough money in the families to provide clothes for all the children. When the older children went to school, the younger ones had to stay indoors and play. When the siblings returned home from school, the younger children would take their clothes so they could go out and play.

Familjerna höll samman i vått och torrt
Sammanhållningen var mycket stor mellan familjerna. Det fanns ett signalsystem som t.ex. berättade om någon familj hade riktigt kaffe i kvarnen. Varje familj hade dessutom en hushållsgris. En söndagsförmiddag träffades herrarna på gatan och bildade en Svinförsäkring genom att alla betalade 1:- var till en gemensam kassa för att kunna hjälpa den som eventuellt miste sin gris.

The fascinating nature and geology of Kinnekulle
For a long time, Kinnekulle has attracted nature and geology enthusiasts. Every year, Falkängen welcomes geology students from universities in Sweden, Germany, and Denmark. If you're not interested in delving into fossils, there are several beautiful hiking trails and nature reserves with varied landscapes. Along the hiking trails and at the nature reserves, you'll find descriptions of the local plant and animal life. Along the still untouched cobblestone beach below the cliff edge, you can walk, have a picnic, enjoy the sunset and Lake Vänern, and of course – take a swim!

Linné called Kinnekulle 'more delightful than any other...
The vegetation is unique with several orchid species, such as the lady's slipper orchid. Orchids thrive in calcareous soil, so it's understandable why they flourish here! Much of the flora and fauna is protected. Wild garlic grows in large quantities here, especially in Munkängarna. The tender, green leaves start to emerge as soon as the sun begins to warm. The leaves form a beautiful green carpet before the trees have leafed out, then you truly feel that spring is on its way! Later, the ground's greenery is filled with the beautiful flowers of wild garlic with their white clusters. It's said that most of Sweden's deciduous tree species are represented in Munkängarna.

The old quarry shows that octopuses lived here
An absolute must on your first visit to Kinnekulle is to take a look at the large quarry above Munkängarna. You can drive almost all the way into the quarry, or you can stop above and see the quarry with Lake Vänern in the background, very beautiful! This is where the stone was quarried, where the residents made their living. Here, you can also see deposits of millions of years in the 30-meter-high walls of the mountain. At the small parking lot above the quarry, there is an interesting description of a time when there were octopuses here!

The houses of Falkängen from the late 19th century
So, the beautiful plastered houses in Falkängen began to be built in 1896 with the purpose of serving as residences for the many people who worked in the cement industry. Nowadays, the industrial street houses lodging and conference facilities from April to November, as well as craft shops from May to August, the autumn round in September, and the Winter Street in November. The café is open during the summer season and until the end of September, as well as during the Winter Street event.