THE FOREST & SAWMILLS
There is no evidence of sawmilling activities in Frønningen prior to the Black Death. The discovery of an axe from the Iron Age may however indicates, that the woods have always played an important part in the village. It is a well known fact that in the Viking Age timber/plank was exported from the Sogn county to Iceland among other places. The first written sources describing forestry and sawmill operations at Frønningen are from the end of the 1500s.
Written sources appeared from the 16th and 17th century, mentioning sawmilling activities in Frønningen
Several saws were built in the village, and at the busiest period there were no less than six active water powered frame saws. Of these only a dam and some stone walls remain, as well as some assorted equipment. The Old Saw, which was built in 1885 was based on a frame saw. This saw still exists with a name of “Gamle Sagi” (the Old Saw).
The large log flume used to transport the timber from Flata down to the fjord, is no longer exsist, but there are some remnants of it still visible. The efficiency of the sawmill operations increased significantly after the saws were built near the forest.
