Draft:Totenvika
 | Review waiting, please be patient.
This may take 2 months or more, since drafts are reviewed in no specific order. There are 3,228 pending submissions waiting for review.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
Reviewer tools
|
 Totenvika seen from Balke Church |
Totenvika, locally known simply as "Vika," is a rural area situated at the southern tip of Østre Toten municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The district lies between the shores of Lake Mjøsa and the Totenåsen mountain range, extending toward the border with the former Akershus county. Residents of Totenvika identify as "vikværing," reflecting a local cultural identity tied closely to the area's rural heritage and natural surroundings.
Geography
[edit]
The settlement stretches east-southeast from the village of Skreia along County Road 33, which serves as the main transport route through the area. The terrain encompasses low-lying farmland near the lake at approximately 123 meters above sea level, with hills rising to the south.
Population and Community
[edit]As of 1981, Totenvika had a population of around 1,200 residents[1]. The community is primarily dispersed across farmland and rural properties, with limited clustered housing development. One notable residential area, Helgestadfeltet, was developed in the 1980s, followed by scattered new homes mostly around the Sulustad farm. Despite previous projections in the 1990s that envisioned Totenvika as a growth hub due to its proximity to Gardermoen Airport, significant population expansion has not occurred.
Economy and Agriculture
[edit]Agriculture is an essential part of Totenvika's character, with several large farms engaging in diverse agricultural production. The relatively low elevation allows for an earlier spring sowing season compared to higher parts of Østre Toten.
Facilities and Services
[edit]The area includes a local school and a church, Totenvika Church. Other than that it offers few commercial or service amenities. The last grocery shop, Birger Stuve, closed around 2003[2]. Residents sometimes rely on neighboring towns for shopping and services.
Transport and Recreation
[edit]Totenvika features a pier at Panengen, providing a stop for the historic steamship Skibladner, which operates on Lake Mjøsa and is one of Norway's oldest operational steamships. This pier serves both recreational and tourist interests. There is also Viken II which offers camping opportunaties as well as a restaurant, in addition there is also a pier where you can board the Skibladner duiring the summer months[3].
Industrial Use and Safety Zones
[edit]Located in the southeastern corner of Totenvika, Fjellhaug became widely known due to its long-standing use as a military firing range associated with Nammo and the former Raufoss Ammunisjonsfabrikk. For decades, the area around Fjellhaug served as a test and training site for various types of ammunition, with projectiles and missiles fired over Lake Mjøsa. Parts of the lake in this sector were regularly closed off to the public for safety, and designated as restricted airspace during live-fire exercises.
In 2009, after many years of use, the military firing range at Fjellhaug was officially decommissioned[4]. The decision to close the range came as military testing gradually shifted to other, more modern facilities, and partly due to ongoing environmental concern about ammunition residues in Mjøsa.
Hjell Brænderi
[edit]Hjell Brænderi was a notable distillery established in 1866 on a plot purchased from the Hjell farm in Totenvika. It played a significant role in local industry for several decades, producing spirits and other alcoholic beverages. The distillery’s early years and operational details are well documented in local industrial history, highlighting its importance in the community.
The distillery was not in operation during 1909 and 1910, possibly due to economic or structural reasons, but it continued production until it was officially closed in 1957[5]. After closing, the production facilities were transferred to A/L Toten Brenneri, which continued to produce spirits in the region.
The site remains a part of the cultural heritage of Totenvika, and the former distillery is remembered for its contribution to local economy and social life during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, also featuring in local historical and cultural preservation efforts.
- ^ "Totenvika – lokalhistoriewiki.no". lokalhistoriewiki.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- ^ "Nærbutikken som holdt stand i Totenvika".
- ^ "Evjua Strandpark ved Mjøsa | Camping, overnatting, restaurant & båthavn". Evjua Strandpark. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- ^ "Skytefelt over Mjøsa avvikles i 2009". Oppland Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). 2005-12-02. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- ^ "Hjell Brænderi, Totenvika - Norske Akevitters Venner" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2025-10-04.