The house was built in 1835 by sea captain Aron Ludvig Bergström (1827-1880) and his wife Antoinette Bergström (née Starcke 1829-1913). The house is in the Empire style and has an associated room division. Originally there was a separate kitchen building in the courtyard, which served the inhabitants of the house. According to history documents, the lot has been inhabited since the 17th century. Fragments of blue-white Dutch faience, German green glass and fragments of brown pottery and of Bartmann bottles etc. have been found in the yard.
In 1865, the bakehouse was built as a farm building, which was used, among other things, to prepare for sea voyages. Read more about the bakehouse here.
Captain Bergström sailed the world’s oceans on sailing ships from Kistinestad. The most famous of these was the Ulrica, with which the captain made his famous circumnavigation of the world. Other ships included the schooners Ludvig and Lainetar, the tanner Cuba and the frigate Lainetar.
Another captain, named Matts Herman Lacke, also lived in the house later in the early 1900s. Lacke died in 1925 and was the last visitor to Cape Horn from Kristinestad. The era of sailing ships began to fade with the arrival of steamships and Lacke lived his last years in near bankruptcy. The condition of the house also began to suffer.
After Lacke, the history of the house is varied. During the war, the house housed a large number of people, had a sewing studio, prayer room, etc.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the house was owned by Åke Weckström. The Weckström family sold the building to Niklas and and Lena Wenman in 1993, who began an extensive renovation and restoration of the original Empire-style room layout and style. In 2001, the house was bought by Petri and Milla Monola, who continued the work started by the Wenmans. In addition to the main building, the baker’s cottage has been restored and the old outbuilding has been rebuilt.
Text: Milla Monola. translation Dag Björklund
