Selfoss (town)
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Selfoss is a town in southern Iceland on the banks of Ölfusá river. It is a part of the municipality Árborg. The Ring Road (Icelandic: Hringvegur) runs through the town on its way between Hveragerði and Hella. It is a center of commerce and small industries of about 5700 inhabitants.
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[edit] History
Selfoss was setteld by Þórir Ásason sometime after 1000; however, the Icelandic sagas mention that Ingolfur Arnason was here during the winter of 873-74 under Ingolfsmountain, which is west of the Ölfusá.
In the summer of 1891, due to the lobbying of Tryggvi Gunnarsson, a member of the Althing, the first suspension bridge was build over the Ölfusá. This was a major undertaking for Icelandic infrastructure. The bridge made the town a logical center for services for the surrounding agricultural region. The current bridge was built in 1945 after the original structure collapsed.
In 1900 there were only 40 inhabitants, but by 2006 the population had climbed to 5700.
In 1930 the Dairy firm Mjólkurbú Flóamanna and General store Kaufélag Árnesínga were established. These two companies were the main employers of the area for several decades. During WWII the British stationed troops at Selfoss to guard the strategic bridge.
See a map of Selfoss
[edit] Currently
Today, with more efficient transportation, the town enjoys the proximity to the Reykjavík area and is predicted to grow in coming years as businesses and residents will relocate to it because of lower property prices.
[edit] Name
Although the name of the town indicates otherwise ("foss" means waterfall in Icelandic), there are no waterfalls in the town.
[edit] See also
| Twenty largest Municipalities of Iceland |  |
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Reykjavík | Kópavogur | Hafnarfjörður | Akureyri | Reykjanesbær | Garðabær | Mosfellsbær | Árborg | Akranes | Seltjarnarnes | Vestmannaeyjar | Skagafjörður | Ísafjörður | Fjarðabyggð | Borgarbyggð | Húsavík | Grindavík | Hornafjörður | Fljótsdalshérað | Dalvíkurbyggð | |
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