Straumsgården in Straumsbukta on Kvaløya is a coastal farm that depends on the resources of both the sea and the land. The farm is one of the largest in the area – the number of buildings and size of the living space attest to its affluence. The number of buildings is slightly above average for Troms, whereas the grouping in rows and siting on the terrain is normal. All the buildings are constructed of timber and the roof is covered with turf. The site belongs to Perspektivet Museum, formerly Troms Folk Museum.

On the sea-shore are the buildings associated with seafaring activity, such as the boathouse where the boat was stored. The boat landing, which is cleared at low tide, consists of rollers so that the boat can easily be dragged out of the sea. A row of stones has been built to protect the boat landing from the wind and waves. All the inner buildings stand in a row up on the hill. There is the baking oven shack, the oldest living space, the new one, the shed, the wood shack and the shack for drying sedge. A little way below this row of buildings is the storehouse, with a garden beside it. The garden is enclosed with picket fencing, and along the east side a stone wall to protect it from the cold winds. The outhouses stand in a more irregular group further up the slope – cowshed, stable and hayloft. There are also a couple of well-houses. At the very top, at the boundary between the infield and the outfields, is the summer cowshed.

1800-1900

Farm buildings

Timber materials, notched log construction

farm

wood

log construction

sod roof

boat house

storage shed

storehouse

outhouse

Hage, Ingebjørg, Elin Haugdal, Bodil Ruud &

Sveinulf Hegstad (eds.): Arkitektur i Nord-Norge, Bergen 2007.
Berg, Arne: Norske gardstun, Oslo 1968.