The fishing village Stamsund is south facing and lies partially protected behind holms and large rocks, with knolls and mountains to the north. In this area an elongated foreland projects into the sea, between the archipelago and the mainland. Here there is a deep and adequately protected sound, which throughout centuries fishermen have used as a harbour and moor for their boats.

The old village of Stamsund is built on one of the longest stone quays in Europe. J.M. Johansen, the founder of this fishing station, oversaw the construction of this quay line, which is over one kilometre long. Laboriously constructed, the quay was masoned from blocks of local granite (roughly in 1920). Today the quay serves as the foundation for what is called Old Stamsund. Here one finds large masoned storehouses that have a tiered-motif uppermost on the gable, and are situated on the edge of the quay. While the fishing station owner's residence is located further back. Hurtigruta cruise ships call at Stamsund and dock alongside this splendid stone quay.

By and large, Stamsund's recent history and physical appearance is founded on a single individual and his descendants. Carl Magnus Johansen from Namdalen, along with his wife, initiated trade and started a fishing company in Buvika in 1878. Their son, Julius Marcenius Heiberg Johansen, inherited and ran the operations. He also purchased central parts of the fishing station. Over the course of a few years he had established a chief site (in this part of the country) for fishing industry.