The association Lapphellas Venner (Friends of Lapphella) strives to preserve the old wooden houses and wharf buildings at Lapphella. It was established in 1983.
Today the association owns three of the houses here: Isakhuset, Gunvor Johnsen Huset and Roghellskøtet. Three buildings still house families year round, while two others serve as holiday homes. The municipality of Hemnes also owns a house, as well as an outbuilding by the church. These are managed by Helgeland Museum. In addition, there is a privately owned outbuilding.
Since its very beginning, this association has pursued three objectives:
- Preserve the unique buildings of Lapphella for posterity
- Restore the houses and wharves
- Facilitate cultural activities in the area
Their efforts have been a huge success! Thanks to the diligent efforts of the association, the old wooden buildings at Lapphella are now protected under the current zoning plan. The houses and wharves, along with their adjoining outdoor areas, have been beautifully renovated by the hard-working members of the association.
In recent years, Lapphella has served as a valued cultural venue for festivals, concerts, outdoor markets and religious services – as well as a prized setting for film productions. Now there is also a new cultural arena, designed to fit harmoniously into its surroundings.
Millennium site
Lapphella was chosen as Hemnes municipality’s Millennium Celebration Site. One of the criteria for this was that the site had a history that stretched back at least a thousand years. The Lapphella area has been used by countless generations, with activity far preceding the age of the present buildings. Thanks to the enormous joint efforts of hard-working residents, the heritage of Lapphella has been preserved for future generations.
