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Crofter’s farm

Storeteigen was originally worked as a croft from 1820 until 1905, and those who lived here were obliged to work on the main farm, which was then Oddmundsbruket in Øvre Vik.

The population in Hardanger increased by 60 per cent from 1815 to 1875, and by no means everyone had the opportunity to farm their own piece of land. Some people moved or emigrated, while others were able to obtain a smallholding.

The first building at Storeteigen was a røykstove, a simple log dwelling, which was probably moved here from another location. Such dwellings began to emerge at the end of the Middle Ages and are unique to Western Norway.

The stove was built like a hearth against a wall, but had a smoke vent in the ceiling rather than a chimney. The stove was both a source of heat and light.

Johannes Johannesson (1837-1915) and his wife Herborg Hansdotter (1838-1912) were the first occupants of Storeteigen.
They had nine children, of whom only three survived childhood. The conditions were harsh, and people scraped a living.

There is a crofter’s farm and a furniture workshop dating from the early 19th century at the museum. They were both built on site, while the smithy, storehouse and the two simple log dwellings were moved here from other farms in the vicinity.

The buildings were moved in the period from 1978 until 1984, and Storeteigen opened as a visitor centre and museum in 1986.
Storeteigen is now owned by Kvam municipality and is run by Hardanger and Voss Museum.