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Jakob Ehrensvärd | profile | all galleries >> Abandoned mines >> Mossgruvan tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Mossgruvan

Mossgruvan (the "moss mine") is more than just a mine – it is also a village, society, a dream and its melancholy remains of today. Located in the middle of a dense forest - really in the middle of nowhere, Swedish Ball-bearing co, SKF, decided to modernize the mine after WWII. A small village and the basic necessities of living was established in a rush. All attributes of a modern society around 1950 are there – today yet in everything but mint condition.

A main road, with different “options” for living were offered. Management on a separate road, whereas the workers had three different alternatives: a) Combined living b) Larger houses, covered with “Eternit” – a maintenance-free material [made of asbestos] of highest fashion of the time c) “Build your own movement” – a simplified way to build your own house in an unified style. Needless to say, the management lived slightly aside :|

Stopping by at Mossgruvan gives an insight of the model worker’s society of the post-war time around 1945-1955. Maybe a template of the growing trend of the “Swedish Model”

Mossgruvan/Sköttgruvan was a small mine, with an annual capacity of just some 50 ktons, which forced the mine to close already in 1972.
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Mossgruvan
gallery: Mossgruvan
Sköttgruvan
gallery: Sköttgruvan
An ordinary suburb of 1948 ?
An ordinary suburb of 1948 ?
The main road
The "main road"
The former local grocery store
The former local grocery store
Multi-family living
Multi-family living
Middle management?
Middle management?
Mine engineer's residence
Mine engineer's residence
For the large family
For the large family
The new concentration plant
The new concentration plant
Remains
Remains
Repaint required
Repaint required