The History and Old Photographs of the Juujärvi Village Area

Welcome to explore the history of the Juujärvi village area and view old photographs in the Aurora Hall of Lapin maakuntamuseo! Tomi Juujärvi, chair of the Juujärvi Village Association and project manager of the Preserving Juujärvi’s Cultural Heritage project, will talk about the history of the Juujärvi village area and the old photographs discovered and digitised during the project. The Juujärvi village area includes Hoppula, Päiväjoki, Juujärvi, Jokelanranta and the part of Pikkukylä on the Kemijärvi side. The area’s history stretches back thousands of years. It includes, among other things, Forest Sámi history, permanent settlement beginning in the 17th century, old riverside settlement, log floating and forestry, post-war resettlement, and the harnessing of the Kemijoki River for hydroelectric power. Juujärvi is a nationally significant landscape area, and Juujärvi village is part of a nationally significant built cultural environment. The village area escaped the destruction of the Lapland War exceptionally well, which has allowed old buildings and the village landscape to survive to the present day. The Preserving Juujärvi’s Cultural Heritage project has digitised more than 2,000 old photographs, interviewed people from the village area, and collected letters and other historical material. The event will show photographs dating from the early 20th century onwards and tell the stories of the people, places and events behind them. Through the photographs, the event offers a journey into the past of the Juujärvi village area—and a perspective on the history of Kemijärvi and the entire Kemijoki River valley. Admission is free. Welcome! The project has been funded by Leader Pohjoisin Lappi ry and has received co-funding from the European Union.