Kronlund Kursgård
Bringing back former glory
The 1st of November 1905 was a very important date in the history of Kronlund Kursgård. In that year Hällnäs forest school opened up for the first time. and also it was the first in his kind all the way up in the north of Sweden. 58 men with a background in forest work applied in that year, mostly from Västerbotten and Norrbotten. Out of these 58 people, 14 were chosen for the first year. Which proved the necessity of the school at the time.
Kronlund Kursgård history began several years before that. The deep forest area were the school was built upon was namned 'Kronlund'. (It was owned by the royal family 'crown' hence the name Kron=Crown, lund=grove.) This place was chosen because of the magnificent beauty from the surrounding area.
It was said that the master-hunter who was living and working here at that time created a painted of the area and sent it to the royal municipal board. Where they made the decision to use that area for the school. On the 26th of April 1904 contractor P. Byström began the construction of all the buildings. These are the same buildings we work in today! More than a century later!!
Hällnäs forest school was active until 1965. During 63 years, 1017 students graduated. Most of which continued their careers as rangers, forestry consultants and hunters. There had been 11 different principals, 11 foresters and 14 teachers employed in that time as well as 1 craftsman and 1 housemother her name was 'Lotten Nilsson' who became locally known.
In the 1990's the property was owned by the University of Umeå and they where the first to name it Kronlund Kursgård which means Kronlund course-yard, keeping to the properties history in education. After the University It was bought by Peter Green back in 2006. In this time it was used for conferences and events. In 2015 it was sold again to Bert Karlsson who housed asylum seekers. The company was eventually bankrupted and Kronlund Kursgård stood empty until 2020 when it was finally bought by the Kleinherenbrink family!