Land & Livelihood

Houtskär is made up of nearly 700 islands of different sizes; there is a group of bigger islands and a large number of smaller islands.  ¹

Parish Records

Because parish Communion records are listed by village and farm names and because farm names often were used as a part of a person’s name, it is interesting to note the following farms.

HisKi project findings were used as a starting point to identify parish villages.  Then Parish Communion Records of 1850 – 1862 were used to confirm village and identify  farm names. ^{9, 10 & 11} 

Parish History

Mentioned in records for the first time as a chapel congregation under the Korpo parish in 1554. ⁶

Parish Church

Church of Santa Maria 

• A chapel existed in 1554
• In 1639 a new chapel was built; in 1692 it was already considered too crowded
• Current church built between 1703 – 1704
• Built under the leadership of Erik Nilsson from Pohjalainen
• Dedicated to the Virgin Mary
• Located in Näsby
• Wooden cross-shaped church; painted red
• Lower part of bell tower built in1753; upper part in 1861 ^{4,  5 & 6}

Folk Dress

Each parish has a unique folk dress.  Parish folk dress can be recognized by its style, colors, and patterns.

Resources:

1. Houtskär, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houtsk%C3%A4r
2. Houtskar, https://visitparainen.fi/en/houtskar/
3. Houtskär, https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fi&u=http://www.parainen.fi/web/kommunerna/en_GB/houtskar/&prev=search
4. Houtskär Church, https://visithoutskar.fi/nae-koe/houtskarin-puuristikirkko/
5. Houtskär Church, https://www.spottinghistory.com/view/203/houtskari-church/
6. Houtskär Church, https://www.vastabolandsforsamling.fi/kyrkor-och-lokaler/kyrkor-och-kapell/houtskar-kyrka
7. Houtskär Church Image, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Houtskarin_kirkko.jpg
8. Houtskär Folk Dress Image, Brage costume agency, https://www.brage.fi/sve/draktbyra/draktbyran/folkdrakter/view-163648-43
9. Houtskär Parish, Genealogical Society of Finland, HisKi project, http://hiski.genealogia.fi/hiski/aal8tv?en+0099
10. Houtskär Parish Communion Records of 1850–1862, https://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/index_eng.htm
11. Houtskär Parish Communion Records of 1850–1862, https://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/sivut/HisKi-digiarkisto.php?bid=21783