Haapajärvi


Haapajärvi is a town and municipality of Finland.
It is located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Northern Ostrobothnia region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is.
Neighbour municipalities are Haapavesi, Kärsämäki, Nivala, Pihtipudas, Pyhäjärvi, Reisjärvi and Sievi.
The municipality is unilingually Finnish.
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History

Haapajärvi was first mentioned in 1548 as Hapaierffue, when it was a part of the parish of Kalajoki. Many of the initial settlers of the area were Savonians, including the Herranen and Ronkanen families already mentioned in 1543 as settlers in Kalajoki. According to the oldest known tax documents regarding the area, at least half of Haapajärvi's inhabitants were Savonians. Due to this, the area of Haapajärvi was known as Kalajoen Savo in the 16th century. Savonian influence is still present in the Central Ostrobothnian dialect spoken in Haapajärvi.
The men of Jämsä held hunting grounds in the area; opposed to the settlement on their lands, men from Jämsä attacked the Savonian settlements of the Kalajoki and Pyhäjoki valleys in 1551. The settlers soon notified the king of Sweden, who forbade the Tavastians from disturbing the new settlements, however also stating that the Tavastians were allowed to settle on their own hunting grounds as well.
The first church was built in 1649 or 1653. Haapajärvi acquired chapel rights in 1698 and became an independent parish in 1838, also including the chapel communities of Pidisjärvi and Reisjärvi. Both Reisjärvi and Pidisjärvi were separated in 1868.
A chapel was built in the village of Olkkola for the Laestadian community in the 1920s, however it has never been officially designated as a church or a chapel. Olkkola was a chapel community from 1927 to 1978.
Haapajärvi became a town in 1977.

Sport

Haapajärven Speedway track is a motorcycle speedway venue located approximately 6 kilometres east of the town in a remote forested area, off the Kauniskankaantie road, adjacent to the motocross facility. The speedway track has held the final of the Finnish Individual Speedway Championship on five occasions from 2008 to 2023.

Notable people