Your journey through Dalsland by water is a journey through 300 years of future dreams and visions. The history of Dalsland has much in common with many parts of Sweden, but is so much more dramatic and concentrated. Here are the stories of creating a life off the beaten track and realizing grand dreams with hard work and indomitable will.
The road to a canal
The Dalsland Canal was long-awaited. Since the 17th century, iron ore had been transported from Bergslagen to the growing mills in Dalsland by boat across Lake Vänern and horse and cart through the landscape. In the 18th century, discussions began in the Riksdag about linking Dalsland's waterways with an excavated canal to form a 25-mile-long waterway.
In the summer of 1868, one of Europe's most beautiful waterways was completed. It opened up to the world, and iron ore, people, and mail could be transported in one go by ship from the innermost forests of Dalsland to the port of Gothenburg or on to the Baltic Sea via the Göta Canal. Passing through the canal system is like traveling back in time. The stones in the lock basins, the iron in the gate mechanisms, and the aqueduct's 33,000 rivets carry 150 years of history. Here you will encounter both tranquility and drama, the best of two worlds. And above all, here you can experience what generations before us built with determination, courage, and faith in the future.
A Dalecarlia folk stock
Carl Fredrik Waern grew up at Billingsfors mill and successfully ran Bäckefors mill and Baldersnäs. He was influential in the fight for a canal, but it was his son, with the same name, who became the first CEO of Dalslands Kanal-Aktie-Bolag in 1865. The people of Dalsland came out in force to support the project. Everyone realized the importance the canal would have for the entire region.
The big challenge in Håverud
Few thought it possible to guide ships past Håverud. Here, a strong rapids, soft rocks along steep slopes and a height difference of ten meters met. For a long time, transshipment and transportation by horse-drawn railway was the only conceivable solution.
But then Nils Ericson entered history. Growing up on the Göta Canal and with experience of building locks in Trollhättan and Stockholm, he saw another way. His idea was bold: to build an aqueduct, an iron bridge filled with water, where boats could be guided straight across the rapids.
A bridge made of water and iron
The work was completed in just four years. A 33.5 meter long sheet metal channel, joined by 33,000 rivets, lifted the boats over the rapids and down the lock stairs at Håfreström's mill. The aqueduct and the entire canal were inaugurated by King Karl XV in 1868. The aqueduct is a masterpiece of Swedish engineering.
The fact that both a railroad and a road bridge cross the site makes Håverud even more spectacular. Here, three routes - land, rail and water - meet in a way that is unique in the world.
The canal as a cultural heritage and experience
The Dalsland Canal continued to be a lifeline for the transportation of timber, iron and people well into the 20th century. When industrial transportation took new paths, the future looked bleak for a while. But with the Holiday Act, the canal was given new life.
Today, boats, canoes and visitors fill the waterway with life. The locks attract hundreds of thousands every year, and the aqueduct in Håverud has become one of Dalsland's most beloved landmarks.
Håverud 1925
During the intensive expansion of the railway network in Dalsland and Värmland at the beginning of the 20th century, material transportation played a crucial role.
Motiv: Bergslagernas Järnvägar, BJ locomotive 5 with mining train at the construction of DVVJ, Dal - Västra Värmlands Järnväg DVVJ.
"Loket skall öfover för 1a gången"
Photography 1925-06-12 by Ahlin, Herman
Töcksfors Canal
The name Töcksfors comes from the word "töck," which can best be translated as fog. Over the years, the region has been severely affected by things far worse than fog. During the wars between Norway, which was then part of Denmark, and Sweden in the 16th and 17th centuries, the villages in Töcksmark were burned and ravaged on several occasions. And during World War II, many residents risked their lives to save Jews and Norwegian resistance fighters from the Nazis.
Töcksfors Ironworks was founded in 1797 to harness the water power of the Tyxforsen rapids. Just under 100 years later, it was closed down and the rapids were instead used to power a wood pulp mill. Today, Töcksfors is a lively community with thriving small industries and a good range of services. The development of trade is closely linked to the proximity to Norway. Among other things, there is a large shopping center and a retail park just outside the center of Töcksfors. Four kilometers south of Töcksfors lies Dusserud and the old Ögårn farm. It was built in 1819 and is today one of the country's best examples of how people lived long ago.
Snail canal
The Strömmen lock, north of Snäcke, was built as early as the 1840s, but a horse-drawn railway at Snäcke was used to transport goods between Lake Ånimmen and Lake Östebosjön. In the 1860s, however, plans for a canal began to take shape. One of the most enthusiastic advocates was Lisefors Bruk, which later became Fengersfors Bruk. Snäcke Kanal AB was formed, and in 1874 the canal and lock were completed.
By the early 1900s, the lock was already outdated, and Fengersfors Mill, which was the main user of the lock at the time, built a new one. However, the mill's transport operations ceased in 1963, and a few years later, the Snäcke Canal was sold to the skippers who transported quartz through the canal.
In 1978, the Snäcke Canal was closed by the county administrative board. The locks were so poorly maintained that they were considered dangerous. It was not until 1982 that the canal was incorporated into the Dalsland Canal. The lock gates were replaced, and in June 1985, traffic resumed.
The Minnena channel
Follow the ongoing work to collect and preserve the stories that shape life along the Dalsland Canal. A living archive is emerging with images, voices and memories that provide a deeper understanding of the place and the people who have characterized it. Follow the work and discover new stories that are added over time.
