The Itä-Häme Museum in Hartola

The Itä-Häme Museum covers 7 parishes. It was founded on the initiative of Maila Talvio, a Finnish authoress born in Hartola. The museum is housed in the former Koskipää mansion. The Koskipää family settled in Hartola during the fourteenth century and in 1580, after Sipi Henrikson had gained possession of the neighbouring farms, the mansion was built. In 1639 his son Klaus was granted a title and took the name of Silferbögel. In 1677 the house was transferred to the Tandefelt family of Sysmä and they remained the owners until the beginning of the 19th century. From the Tandefelts the house passed into the hands of the von Gerdten family. At its largest the Koskipää estate measured 25000 hectares (about 75000 acres), and there were over a hundred tenants (crofters).

The main green building dates from the 1828. The larder is from the same period and has been built over cellars which date back to the 18th century. The red side building was constructed in two phases, first came the “savupirtti” (literally a smoke-hut in which there was no chimney) built in the 17th century. The work was finished in the 1850’s. The yellow building, which was the main one during the middle of the 17th century, is not used as a museum. The shed in which the harnesses and carriages were formerly kept now houses the agricultural section of the museum, and dates from the 1880’s. The windmill was build in 1840. The buildings were all originally here except for the windmill, which was transported to the museum in 1965.

The Rooms in the Main Building
1. The room is the on dedicated to the memory of Maila Talvio, the writer. The articles in her study in Helsinki have been brought here.
2. The walls and ceiling are covered with linen from the 1828. The furniture is from the von Gerden house of the 1880.
3. The Emma furniture and the framed wall-paper are from the von Gerdten house of 1900’s.
4. The walls and ceiling are covered with linen dating form the 1880’s. The rococo furniture, taken from Annie and Carl von Gerdten’s house is of the same period.
5. The Great Hall of the house. The walls, floor and ceiling have been restored as they were in the 1820’s. The suite is not original.
6. The dining-room from the 1828. All the furniture except the rococo suite of the Winter family belonged to the Tandefelts.
7. Annie and Carl von Gerdten’s bedroom 1880.
8., 9. and 10. The kitchen and two adjoining sculleries dating from the 1828. The furniture is incomplete.
11. In the attic there is a display of articles used by ordinary people living in the Itä-Häme area.
12. and 13. Antechambers dating from the 1828.

The Larder
14. The 18th century cellars were used for storing beer and household goods. The Red Side Building
15. The walls and ceiling are from the “savupirtti” of smoke-hut dating back to the 17th century.
16. This room is dedicated to the memory of Uuno Kailas, the poet, born in Itä-Häme. His belongings from his childhood and youth were brought here after his death.
17. This room is dedicated to the memory of Mika Waltari, the writer, Waltari spent his summers in the 1940s in Kalho mansion in Näsi house. In Näsi he wrote e.g the book Sinuhe the Egyptian
18. The harness shed dates from the 1880’s. The objects on display include a “churchboat” from Luhanka dating from the beginning of this century, and agricultural implements used in Itä-Häme in the 19th century.