Bruflat
Map, Births & Deaths at S-AGA.org
Bruflat is one of the only farm names known to us that was
in existence before the Black Death found its way to Norway
in 1349. The farm was probably cleared around 1000 AD.
After the Black Death left the area, Bruflat wasnt settled
again until the 16th century and was called Kyrkjegods
and listed in Aurdal until 1660.
Laurits Christensen from Drammen bought the farm in 1668
and kept it until the 1690s when he sold it to Hannibal Stockfleth.
Stockfleth had the farm until 1749.
Bruflat was written many different ways throughout the ages.
In 1317 Bruflat was written Bruarflat and in the skatteliste
from 1616 Blaaflatten. From 1647 to 1723 it was written Blaafladt
and in 1667 Blaaflatt. Then it took its present form of Bruflat
as early as 1838.
There were several families early on at Bruflat. Albert Bruflat
was here from 1614 to 1625. Jens and Barbro Blåflat had the
farm from 1620 to the 1660s.
The main horse trail over the mountains between Oslo and
Bergen went through Bruflat. This road was called Kongevegen,
the Kings Road. There was a Skyss-stasjon (coaching
inn) at the Bruflat farm, where weary travellers could seek
refuge and rest. As the farm is located at the bottom of the
hill, and Kongevegen continues straight up the hills to Tonsåstoppen,
fresh horses were needed. There was always a crew with horses
available at the Bruflat farm.
The owner of Bruflat farm at that time (late 1700s) was Elling
Aslakson Bruflat. He and his family thought that the traffic
going through the farm was very heavy and so they decided
to build new houses a little north of Bruflat. He divided
the farm in 1813 and made Rødningen with the new houses as
the main farm, also called Bruflat Nordre.
Through the years Bruflat has been the connecting point in
the valley. The road follows the Etna river from south to
the north and at Bruflat the road is also divided to the west,
over to Aurdal and the rest of Valdres territory, and then
over to Bergen.
Bruflat developed as a center for trading business and other
services. In the early 1300's a church was built on the farmground,
but the Bruflat church of today was actually built in 1744
and is a beautiful loghouse church.
Today Bruflat is the Community Administration Center. There
are several shops and some small industry. Bruflat and Rødningen
farms had several Husmannsplasser or subfarms. Eventually
laws were passed that allowed the subfarms to be bought by
the tenants, but this allowed the main farms to be split up
many times.
Source: Gard og Bygde i Etnedal Book C, page 110
- 111
Census Records
1865
| 1875
| 1900
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