The History of Hafnarfjörður
This is a brief overview of the history of Hafnarfjörður.
1900
The Gymnastics Club of Hafnarfjörður was founded.
100 residents1929
The Gymnastics Club of Hafnarfjörður was founded.
666 residents
Hafnarfjörður was granted borough status on 1 June. On that same day, an election was held at the Good Templar Hall on Suðurgata. Only one list was standing, but it featured „good and enterprising men“, as a news report of the event put it. The population of this new municipality was 1,469.
The Hafnarfjörður Fire Brigade was established. All men in the town aged 18 to 60 were obliged to take part in firefighting. The town newspaper reported that the brigade's first exercise was to be the next time a fire broke out.
Pier construction began in Hafnarfjörður, and alongside it, warehouses were built and railway tracks were laid in the harbour area. 20 women founded the women's association Hringurinn to help townspeople who were suffering, as there was a pressing need, as tuberculosis was ravaging many homes.
The new harbour ship quay was inaugurated at a ceremony. The Bookless brothers were the first people to drive a car between Hafnarfjörður and Reykjavík. The first church in the municipality, the Free Church in Hafnarfjörður, was then opened, as at that time the parish church for the people of Hafnarfjörður was at Garðar on Álftanes.
The first cinema in the town was opened in a small house on Church Street and the Hafnarfjörður Church was consecrated, but the first service held there was the funeral of the foreman. Regular scheduled services were then introduced between Hafnarfjörður and Reykjavík.
The football pitch at Hvaleyrarhöfði was opened, and the opening match was played between the Framsókn and 17th June football clubs. That same summer, the Hafnarfjörður cross-country race was held for the first time. The Salvation Army also opened a hospital in the basement of its building on East Street.
The cemetery in Hafnarfjörður was opened, and the townspeople were pleased not to have to walk the road to Garðakirkja any longer.
A library was set up in a room in the attic of the primary school. The collection consisted of 1,000 books.
The Hellisgerði amusement park was opened with a ceremony in fine weather.
The townspeople were introduced to a new sport when handball was introduced at a course held in the spring. The course was for both men and women.
St. Joseph's Hospital was opened. It had been built with great vigour by the Sisters of St. Joseph, with the able assistance of the municipal council.
A new primary school was opened in the town. The school was one of the finest buildings of its kind in the country at the time.
Hafnarfjörður Technical College was founded and, for its first few years, was housed in the Old Primary School.
Hafnarfjörður Gymnastics Club, the oldest active sports club in Hafnarfjörður, was founded by a few young boys and their physical education teacher in the old primary school.
The Sisters of St. Joseph started a primary school.
The Hafnarfjörður Municipal Fishing Company was established when the municipal council purchased the Edinborg fish processing plant and the trawler Maí.
The Haukar Football Club and the Workers' Sports Association were founded this year.
The Day Nursery of the Framtíðin Women's Association began operating in the town hall of the old primary school on Suðurgata, but in 1936 the Nursery moved to its own premises in Hörðuvellir. Bus services began between Hafnarfjörður and Reykjavík, running every half an hour every day.
In the autumn, a care home for the elderly was opened in the town in the Salvation Army's premises on East Street, as the town council had leased the building for this purpose.
The electrical appliance factory Rafha began operations and the Flensborg School's new premises were opened on the Hamar.
The Hafnarfjörður football tournament was held for the first time, and FH emerged victorious. That same year, the first official handball match between FH and Haukar took place, but it was called off with some time still remaining due to a brawl.
The swimming pool on Herjólfsgata was opened with a ceremonial event. The pool was an outdoor pool with heated seawater and was a great boost for swimming in the town.
A town cinema was opened, owned by the City of Hafnarfjörður, and its profits were used to build and run the Sólvang care home.
The Hafnarfjörður Music Society established a music school.
The gymnastics club Björk was founded by 20 girls, and the Hafnarfjörður Brass Band was founded by several young men.
The Sólvangur care home was opened.
The maternity ward was opened at Sólvang.
The Hafnarfjörður municipal fishing company took into use a new and splendid fish processing plant.
The town's youth council was established, and the idea was that the council should work to strengthen and diversify youth work.
Öldutúnsskóli was opened and, at the same time, the name of Hafnarfjarðar Grammar School was changed to Lækjarskóli.
An attempt was made to operate school gardens where root vegetables were grown.
A harbour and site agreement was made between the City of Hafnarfjörður and Ísals hf, and construction of an aluminium smelter in Straumsvík subsequently began.
The Keilir Golf Club was founded and work began on a six-hole golf course at Hvaleyri.
Construction work began at the sports complex in Kaplakriki. Groundwork and the blasting of lava outcrops commenced. Volunteers subsequently removed around 10,000 cubic metres of scree and lava from the site.
Construction began on a small boat harbour at Óseyri, the aquarium was opened, and the North Quarter began to be developed.
Vidistaðaskóli opens.
The sports hall on Strandgata was opened and the Hafnarfjörður adult education classes began their activities. In October, the town's population surpassed 10,000 for the first time.
Teaching began at the fish processing school, where the emphasis was on workshop management, appraisal and supervision of fish processing.
The Sívertsens House was opened to the public as part of the Hafnarfjörður Folk Museum, the first sod was cut for a care home for elderly seamen at Hrafnista, and the Hafnarfjörður Power Company ceased to handle ambulance services when the fire brigade took over the task.
Flensborg School graduated its first students and that same year, long-awaited district heating became a reality in Hafnarfjörður. An athletics stadium was opened in Kaplakriki,
The maternity ward at Sólvang was closed and construction began on the development of the Hvammahverfi district.
The town's fourth primary school, Engidalsskóli, opened, Ástjörnin was designated a nature reserve, and the town purchased Víðistaðir.
The lighthouse at Vitastíg was switched off and, in its place, so-called waymarkers were put into use.
The Cultural and Recreational Committee was established to enhance the social and cultural life in the town.
The first sod was cut for a new church to be built at Víðistaðir.
To mark the 75th anniversary of the Borough of Hafnarfjörður, the property at 33 Strandgata was gifted to the borough to establish an arts and culture institution to be named Hafnarborg. At the same time, Hamarskotshamar was designated a nature reserve.
Plots of land for single-family homes were put out to tender in Setbergsland.
Hafnarborg, the town's art and cultural centre, was opened to a large crowd. The debating society Magni gifted Hellisgerði to the town of Hafnarfjörður, and the youth centre Vitinn was opened in the old Skiphól. The first sod was also cut for Setbergsskóli.
The first spadeful was taken at Hvaleyrarskóli and the Suðurbær swimming pool was opened.
The Listamiðstöðin in Straumi opened, the sports hall in Kaplakrika was inaugurated, and plastic rubbish bins were introduced.
An international sculpture park was opened in Víðistaðatún.
Ásvellir, Haukar's new training ground, was opened, marking the end of the football pitch's formal role at Hvaleyrarholti. A new golf course was opened in Setberg. The C-group of the World Handball Championship was held in Hafnarfjörður.
Town council meetings were broadcast on the radio, Hafnarfjörður Television began broadcasting, and the marketing campaign „Hafnarfjörður, yes please“ was launched.
Rafveita Hafnarfjarðar was merged with Hitaveita Suðurnesja, the Hafnarfjörður Fire Brigade became part of the Capital Region Fire and Rescue Service, and a new sports hall was opened at Ásvellir. The northernmost Bonsai garden in the world was opened in Hellisgerði, and a new project, „Information Technology for All“, was launched.
The town's population surpassed 20,000 for the first time, and the first steps towards e-government were taken with online registrations for the town's nursery school.
The Birch House was inaugurated; it was one of the best-equipped gymnasiums in the Nordic countries. The allocation of plots in a new district south of the sports grounds, the so-called Vallarhverfi, was commenced.
The stone arch was erected on the south harbour in memory of the first Lutheran church in Iceland, a Christmas village was set up on Thorsplan and a service desk was opened in the town hall.
The President of Iceland paid an official visit to Hafnarfjörður, Strandstígur was inaugurated, a Hansa festival was held, and the first spadeful was taken for a new primary and nursery school in the Vallahverfi district, Hraunvallaskóli.
Residents rejected plans to expand the aluminium smelter in Straumsvík in a referendum.
Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Mary visited Ásland School, Beggubúð and Bookless Bungalow were opened as part of the Folk Museum, and there were great celebrations in the town for Hafnarfjörður's centenary. The town's resident portal was also opened, and Ásvallalaug was opened.
The leisure car becomes operational, Krýsuvíkurkirkja burns down and a society is founded for its reconstruction. Víðistaðaskóli and Engidalsskóli are merged. Thor Data Center, the first specialised Icelandic data centre, was opened in Hafnarfjörður.
Iðnmark, a Hafnarfjörður-based company, began producing fibre- and carbohydrate-rich popcorn for health-conscious consumers. The East Street Festival was held for the first time on 17 June.
The Municipality of Hafnarfjörður introduced the innovation of sending property tax bills to residents exclusively in electronic format. St. Joseph's Hospital ceased operations. The Hellisgerði Supporters' Association was founded. A competition was held for the planning of the so-called Dvergsreit site on Lækjargata. Guðrún Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir took office as Mayor of Hafnarfjörður, the first woman to do so.
The Ice Hall opened for designers and artists. The athletics hall at Kaplakriki was opened.
The City of Hafnarfjörður became a member of the Healthy Community project. The Hafnarfjörður Vocational School was closed when its operations were absorbed into the Technical College of Iceland. The Marketing Office of Hafnarfjörður was established.
Hafnarfjörður became the first municipality in Iceland, and perhaps even in the world, to grant all employees access to Workplace. Bæjarbíó slf. took over the operation of Bæjarbíó.
The City of Hafnarfjörður buys St. Joseph's Hospital. The City of Hafnarfjörður was the first municipality to receive equal pay certification and subsequently the gender equality award. The Dvergur was demolished. The first sod was cut for Skarðshlíðarskóli. Ástjarnar parish was given a permanent home with the consecration of the parish centre.
Ólafs Hall, a state-of-the-art basketball arena, was opened at Ásvellir. The last remaining stables in Hafnarfjörður were demolished. Work was completed to install fibre-optic cable to every home in the town.
A youth centre was opened in the old tax office. A new nursing home was opened at Sólvang. A quality of life centre was opened at St. Joseph's Hospital. Skessan, the first covered football pitch in Hafnarfjörður, was opened. The town's population surpassed 30,000 for the first time.
Covid arrived and the annual party was cancelled.
Hellisgerði turned 100 years old, and the garden is open to the public all year round. Countless events are held throughout the year, and the garden's Christmas lights attract many visitors to Hafnarfjörður. Legend also has it that a great many elves and fairies live there.