Protecting the falls
Sigrídur Tomasdottir of Brattholt
Sigridur was born at Brattholt on February 24, 1871, and lived there all her life. Brattholt was an isolated far; the few visitors were usually travellers on their way to Gullfoss. Sigridur and her sister often accompanied visitors to Gullfoss, and laid the first pathway down to the falls. The attitudes of these people, many of whom had travelled great distances to catch sight of Gullfoss, must have had considerable effect on Sigridur. Sigridur had no formal schooling but read widely. She did her share of farm work both indoors and out, and had artistic talents: was good at sketching and handicrafts, and drew and embroidered figures of flowers and animals. Sigridur often went on long journeys, both to gather sheep in mountain pastures and to visit trading towns for supplies, wither on horseback or on foot. She died in Hafnarfjörður in 1957 almost 87 years of age and was buried in Haukadalur. She is known first and foremost for her efforts regarding Gullfoss, and a monument to her was erected there in 1978.
Struggle for the falls
At the turn of this century efforts began to acquire the rights to waterfalls and rapids in Iceland for industrial and hydroelectric purposes, often by agents for foreign enterprises. Early in 1907 an Englishman sought to purchase Gullfoss. He offered to pay a price of ISK 50000, a sum equal to fifty time the assessed value of the farmhouse at Brattholt. Tomas, the farmer of Brattholt and Sigridur's father, replied "I won't sell my friend."
In the autumn of 1907 a law was passed to ensure that only individuals and orginsations resident in Iceland could acquire the country's waterfalls without seeking special permission and fulfilling certain conditions. After the law was passed, surveillance was relaxed, but hydropower speculators, managed to gain control of many of the country's largest falls nonetheless. When fullfoss came into the possession of men who were agents for foreign parties Sigridur, the farmer's daughter for Brattholt rose up to fight against several of the richest and most powerful men in Iceland and have the agreement concerning Gullfoss revoked. She put every ounce of effort she could muster into the struggle, made one long journey after another, crossing mountains and fording rivers, in all seasons. In Reykjavik she went from one official to another, but all in vain. The court handed down its verdict against her.
In 1928, however, when the agreed rental for the falls was not paid, the rental agreement became null and void.
Sveinn Björnsson, President of Iceland 1944-1952
Sveinn Björnsson was the first President of the Icelandic republic. In his memoirs he recalled one of his tasks as a young lawyear had been to represent Sigridur of Brattholt in her struggle to preserve the falls.
Einar Gudmundsson of Brattholt
Einar was born on November 4, 1904, and fostered by the family at Brattholt from an early age. He purchased the Brattholt property from Sigridur Tomasdottir in 1939. In 1975 he wrote the Icelandic Nature Conservation Council a letter offering to make them a gift of all the land surrounding the falls which the Council wished to declare a nature reserve.
In December of 1976 Einar turned over part of the Brattholt property to the Nature Conservation Council, stipulatiing only that the land was to be fenced before the end of 1977 and that it would be thenceforth used as provided for by the nature conservation act.
The Ministry of Culture and Education signed an agreement creating a nature reserve around Gullfoss on March 9, 1979. Einar died on September 27, 1985.
Sigridur was born at Brattholt on February 24, 1871, and lived there all her life. Brattholt was an isolated far; the few visitors were usually travellers on their way to Gullfoss. Sigridur and her sister often accompanied visitors to Gullfoss, and laid the first pathway down to the falls. The attitudes of these people, many of whom had travelled great distances to catch sight of Gullfoss, must have had considerable effect on Sigridur. Sigridur had no formal schooling but read widely. She did her share of farm work both indoors and out, and had artistic talents: was good at sketching and handicrafts, and drew and embroidered figures of flowers and animals. Sigridur often went on long journeys, both to gather sheep in mountain pastures and to visit trading towns for supplies, wither on horseback or on foot. She died in Hafnarfjörður in 1957 almost 87 years of age and was buried in Haukadalur. She is known first and foremost for her efforts regarding Gullfoss, and a monument to her was erected there in 1978.
Struggle for the falls
At the turn of this century efforts began to acquire the rights to waterfalls and rapids in Iceland for industrial and hydroelectric purposes, often by agents for foreign enterprises. Early in 1907 an Englishman sought to purchase Gullfoss. He offered to pay a price of ISK 50000, a sum equal to fifty time the assessed value of the farmhouse at Brattholt. Tomas, the farmer of Brattholt and Sigridur's father, replied "I won't sell my friend."
In the autumn of 1907 a law was passed to ensure that only individuals and orginsations resident in Iceland could acquire the country's waterfalls without seeking special permission and fulfilling certain conditions. After the law was passed, surveillance was relaxed, but hydropower speculators, managed to gain control of many of the country's largest falls nonetheless. When fullfoss came into the possession of men who were agents for foreign parties Sigridur, the farmer's daughter for Brattholt rose up to fight against several of the richest and most powerful men in Iceland and have the agreement concerning Gullfoss revoked. She put every ounce of effort she could muster into the struggle, made one long journey after another, crossing mountains and fording rivers, in all seasons. In Reykjavik she went from one official to another, but all in vain. The court handed down its verdict against her.
In 1928, however, when the agreed rental for the falls was not paid, the rental agreement became null and void.
Sveinn Björnsson, President of Iceland 1944-1952
Sveinn Björnsson was the first President of the Icelandic republic. In his memoirs he recalled one of his tasks as a young lawyear had been to represent Sigridur of Brattholt in her struggle to preserve the falls.
Einar Gudmundsson of Brattholt
Einar was born on November 4, 1904, and fostered by the family at Brattholt from an early age. He purchased the Brattholt property from Sigridur Tomasdottir in 1939. In 1975 he wrote the Icelandic Nature Conservation Council a letter offering to make them a gift of all the land surrounding the falls which the Council wished to declare a nature reserve.
In December of 1976 Einar turned over part of the Brattholt property to the Nature Conservation Council, stipulatiing only that the land was to be fenced before the end of 1977 and that it would be thenceforth used as provided for by the nature conservation act.
The Ministry of Culture and Education signed an agreement creating a nature reserve around Gullfoss on March 9, 1979. Einar died on September 27, 1985.