1842 Flekkefjord becomes a town
“Law created in Stockholm castle on April 11th 1842: Law regarding Annulment of the following staple rights yearly contributions to Christiansands Kommune, Mandal, Farsund and Flekkefjord.” The Odelsting considered the Ministry's recommendation on July 5, 1842. Ludv. Kr. suggested the case should be dismissed, but this proposal was rejected against 39 votes. On July 6th, the Odelsting unanimously approved the proposal for the Law on Market Town Rights for the Staple Right Flekkefjord, and on July 19th the Lagting passed the law. The King sanctioned the law on August 8th, 1842. Flekkefjord had become a town.
1857 “Dalens shoe soles – nothing is better”  
Dalens tannery is started. Anders Beer was a pioneer and an entrepreneur to whom we can attribute the origins of a long-standing tannery-adventure. Dalens stjernelær (leather) was a well-known brand.
1860 Andersens Mekaniske Verksted  
The story began by Gabriel T. Andersen establishing himself as a blacksmith in the town, providing services to the towns’ tanneries. Today, the business produces equipment for tunnels, mining and the offshore industry, and exports all over the world.
1871 Flekkefjord Sangforening is founded 
(singing association) The first name of the association was Flekkefjord Arbeider- samfunds Sangforening (Flekkefjord Labor- Society Singing Association). Plicae vocalis is Latin for vocal cords. These are colored in red.
1874 Flekkefjord samlag for the sale of liqor 
Samlaget (the liquor store) served as a monopoly for all alcoholic beverages. The main goal of the samlag was to "promote ideas of sobriety, enlightenment and morality”. The drops of ethanol can quickly become too many, and then they make their way back out again…
1876 Oppbyggelseshuset in Flekkefjord 
Flekkefjords first bedehus (Christian gathering place) was finished in 1876.
1877 Avisen Agder – the local newspaper is born 
The first copy of the newspaper Avisen Agder came out on Wednesday April 25, 1877. Flekkefjord's very first newspaper however, was called Agdesidens Budstikke. It came out twice a week in 1851, before going out of business the same year.
1877 Flekkefjord Temperance movement 
The local temperance movement was founded by P. Øgård, and was part of the national movement. At the time, the members were mostly religious, elderly people.
1878 The devastating town fire 
Nearly all buildings throughout the large quarter between Brogaten, Kirkegaten, Anders Beersgate and Øvre Park burnt to the ground. According to local legend, the fire was discovered late because the guards had fallen asleep in the hall of R. Larsen's house, instead of patrolling the streets that night.
1888 Elias Tønnesen, the master thief, is born 
His father was from Gyland and his mother from Kvinesdal. He was known throughout the kingdom of Norway as a master thief, safecracker and jail-breaker. According to legend, Elias dreamt of being as famous as the outlaws Gjest Baardsen and Ole Høiland.
1894 Flekkefjord's first phonograph performance is held in foreningslokalet. 
A short five years later, in 1899, the city's first cinematographic performance is shown in Festiviteten.
1894 Flekkefjord and Omegns Telephone Company is started 
The driving forces behind the initiative is Ingvald Hansen, O.C. Axelsen and T. Knutsen. These men also formed the company's first board. "Today, the wool factory in Loge has spoken directly with the office in the city for the first time."
1898 The O.C. Axelsen Barrel Factory is established 
At one point in history, this factory was the world's largest producer of wooden barrels. The factory’s last delivery consisted of 5100 barrels that were exported from Drangeid to Iceland in 1987.
1899 Trellebakken Primary School, Secondary School and Gymnasium is built  
The school, also called "the Acropolis of Flekkefjord", was designed by the famous architect Henry Bertram Bucher. The image shows an excerpt of my father's report card from the school year 1952, with Ragnhild Kvålen as form teacher.
1901 Flekkefjord Musikkorps (Flekkefjord Marching Band) is founded  
when the marching band was founded, it had between 14-18 members in total. Its origins can be traced from the "Flekkefjord Horn Sextet" (1874-1891) and the marching band "Fram" (1891- 1901).
1901 The towns first street lights were lit by Flekkefjord Municipality’s Electric co.  
The artwork depicts the watercourse and the catchment area on its way towards the Sagfossen power station in the Fedafjord. The light bulb used was a Thomas A. Edison patent number 223,898 from 1880.
1904 "Flea and louse, rat and mouse – in every mans hosue!” 
The town’s sewer is put in pipes. The smelly components: Ammonia (nH3), methane (CH4) and hydrogen sulphide (H2S), now flowed into the fjord through closed pipes.
1904 Flekkefjordbanen (the Flekkefjord Railway Line) opens 
The railway sign shown in the picture, was used where the train was supposed to signal: "Train arriving". The original railway line went from Flekkefjord to Egersund, and then on to Jæderbanen to Stavanger. The 17 km railway line from Sira to Flekkefjord became a branch line after 1944. This branch line stopped running in 1991.s.
1909 Return of the herring 
"The herring-nets are set so close together in the fjord, that the steamboats have no choice but to carefully navigate between them". Great was the joy over a new herring adventure, after the herring disappeared in 1837.
1913 Jacob Sand buys the town's first car 
The Buick was purchased from merchant Klev from Mandal. A year earlier, Flekkefjord has been visited by its first car. The first car to visit the town was a French make, led by Olav Iglebæk from Kristiansand.
1913 "For peace and brotherhood amongst the people" - Nobel Peace Prize 
In addition to being a politician and a ship-owner, Bernhard Hanssen made a significant effort for world peace. In 1894 he started Det Norske Fredsblad (The Norwegian Peace magazine). Hanssen was also member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee from 1913 until his death in 1939.
1915 Skomvær of Flekkefjord (through 1915-1917) 
"It just so happened that merchant O.C. Axelsen was bringing home Quebracho from La Plata. He quickly realized that the ship itself was for sale for exactly the same amount as the cost of shipping…" Skomvær is the largest sailing ship ever built in Norway.
1924 The municipality of Flekkefjord receives a testamentary gift from Anna Wahl. 
She ran Wahl's hotel in Elvegaten, but was also known for her love of helping people in need. She devoted a lot of time to missionary work and caring for the poor. Her testament is the basis for the establishment of Flekkefjord Bymusuem (Flekkefjord town museum).
1930 The town's speed limit  
"The proposal from the police chief was in line with the proposal from the car expert. The Flekkefjord town council decided that the maximum allowable speed through the towns’ streets should be 15 km/h. " It was peaceful times!
1936 Herman Olsen starts the town's first chiropractor clinic 
Three years earlier, Herman had begun his chiropractor-education at the Palmer School of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. He was a clever man and used his own X-ray machine in his practice; this was one of the town's first X-ray machines.
1940 The sender from Helle 
Andreas Lone was the telegraphist who sent important sent messages about German activity to England, using Morse code, from the transmitter at Gunvald Tomstad home in Helle. The sender was part of the "Cheese" intelligence network.
1944 Flight attack on Achilles and Palermo 
19 English Mosquito-aircraft entered the fjord and bombed the two German cargo ships docked at Tollbodbrygga. Achilles was loaded with at least 100 tons of ammunition, but heroic efforts by the crew ensured that they were able to open the bottom valves on board in time. The big Christiansandsboden burned to the ground, and the event could have been a catastrophe for the town.
1955 The hospital at Askeknuten opens 
The hospital we hold so close to our hearts and are very proud of. May we keep this local hospital safe from closure in all future! The picture shows the original floor-plan from 1955.
1961 Flekkefjord Sparebank moves into new premises 
Many were sad when the stately bank building from 1877 was demolished, but luckily the new building also had classical architectural qualities in the style of the previous era.
In 1963, electrician Olav Kvelland put up a converter antenna on Storeheia, paying for it out of his own pocket 
Two years later, the Flekkefjord TV Association starts up on the initiative of Johs. Pettersen. The association worked actively to improve the TV-viewing conditions in the town.
1965 Grønnes as an industrial estate or swimming spot? 
The Women's Labor Movement, led by Lillemor Furuseth, started a signature collecting campaign to save Grønnes. after the council chairmanship had decided to sell the area to Flekkefjord Slipp og Mekaniske Versted. The campaign was successful and the industrial estate was instead moved to Angholmen.
1968 Per Senior, Building No. 001, Simek 
One year after the shipyard (Simek) was started by Sigbjørn Iversen, the fishing vessel Per Senior was finished and delivered. At that time, the shipyard was located at Eschebrygga. The business was moved to Svege in 1971.
In the early 1970s, the breakthrough for fish farming in Norway started.  
Many in this area of Norway had fish farming plans early on, and Flekkefjord Sparebank was foresighted and brave enough to support these ideas. The brothers Arnfred, Thor and Bjarne Hansen, and Arild Hansen from Rasvåg became the first in the area to obtain a license for fish farming, in 1983.
1970 The station building is demolished  
Despite mass protests and public outcry, the protesters did not mange to stop this beautiful building being demolished. The building was originally designed by the renowned architects Paul Armin Due and his father, Paul Due.
1972 Dalens tannery is shut down 
The entire production was then moved to Aarenes tannery. It was no easy task to continue the production, since tanneries produced materials for a dying industry, the Norwegian shoe factories.
1979 Olaf Søyland and Einar Rasmussen become world champions 
in the 1000 meter K-2. Flekkefjord kayaking club continues to produce world class kayakers and rowers. Eirik Verås Larsen has won an impressive amount of gold medals in the European Championships, World Cup and in the 2004 and 2012 Olympic Games.
1980 Flekkefjord customs office is closed down 
The customs office was started in 1698. Fish was a major export product, but leather was also exported from the town. Aditionally, food and luxurious items like liquorice and French spirits were imported.
1982 Helsehuset is taken into use 
In order to make room for Helsehuset (the health clinic), fishmonger Bakkens old boathouse was demolished.
1982 "It was a winter day, it was cold, it was gray, I stood on the edge of the sad town..." 
A little excerpt from the beginning of the song "Winter Day" by Mr. Jones, which was played during the first ever Fjellpark festival. The entrance fee cost NOK 20, -. It was extremely tiresome to carry all the equipment back and forth, because there was no road to the Fjellpark.
1983 Flekkefjord's first automatic mobile phone 
was acquired by general practitioner Tor Nilsen. Previously, one had to call a telephone exchange and have the call transferred. The mobile signals however, were (and still are!) communicated directly via a sender at Storestø.
1984 The Kjellesvigbua is illegally torn down at night 
Thus, the last of the large stately boathouses were gone. Much of the town's identity was rooted in these buildings, but fires and "urban renewal" became the fate of many boathouses (buer). Could Flekkefjord have been on UNESCO's World Heritage List if the boathouses were taken care of in the years after the war?
1985 The linden trees in Brogata are chopped down 
The beautiful arch of linden trees had to be removed to make space for cars and pedestrians. Could the sidewalks have been placed differently to work around the trees? Linden trees seem to live risky lives the town. In 1970 the Eschelinden tree was chopped down, and in 2010 the linden tree at the church square was removed. Sad…
1992 The Draco boat adventure ends 
In 1966, Vibeke and Kåre Drangsholt bought the old wool factory in Loga, where they started production of plastic boats. For a time, this was the town's largest workplace for and hundreds of boats were exported from here. Draco boats are still a common and welcome sight of the fjord.
1993 Flekkefjord local radio, 106.1 mHz, is shut down after eight years of operation 
The newspaper Agder, with Annelise Kleven as editor, took initiative to launch a local radio station. Annelise was a rare and true kind of town patriot! She was never afraid to speak her mind with regarding the town's wellbeing. In recent times, she has been one of the strongest voices for promoting aesthetics and a good urban environment. She has been a driving force for the preservation of the town's older settlements and important places. One of her fights was the signature campaigns in 1998 and 2003, against the development and sale of Tollbodplassen. "Tollbodplassen must be open and undeveloped!" Could we even go as far as to call Annelise Tollbodplassen’s mother?
1995 Flekkefjord's first civil confirmation 
The Norwegian Humanist Association, Flekkefjord and surrounding areas local branch, was the name of the humanitarians when they were first established in Flekkefjord. The local branch was established to hold civil confirmations locally, which they still do today.
1995 Doffen at Lundsen stops trading 
An institution in the heart of the town from the 1890s, is made history. Doffen was the pet name for Thorkild Lunde’s son, who started the kiosk. From the 1970s onwards, the kiosk was ran by the niece Dagmor Sunde Knudsen and her husband Sivert Knudsen, until they no longer had energy to keep the kiosk running.
2002 The underground carpark beneath Vollen and Øvre Park opens 
The Flekkefjord Parking Co. was founded in 1999. The construction is an elegant solution that can house about 200 cars, and hel keep cars out of the townscape.
2005 Artist Tatjana Lars Kristian Gulbrandsen dies 
Flekkefjord loses a great artist and an unusual and colorful personality. His house, Gloarbu in Hidra, along with his artwork was bequeathed to Flekkefjord municipality. May all his artwork have a worthy place to be displayed soon…
2006 The towns first escalators! 
The wonders go up and down in the shopping center, Amfi Flekkfjord. These were opened on November 2nd, along with the shopping center’s top floor.
2012 Watchmaker Olav Stordrange closes his shop in Lundsen  
At 91 years old, the towns last watchmaker ends his long career on December 31st. In 20016, he received the King’ Medal of Merit for his long and faithful service.
2015 Last sailing into Grisefjorden 
In the summer of 2015, the town drawbridge was opened for the very last time when MS Høvding sailed up Grisefjorden. A new bridge with a solid cover is built, and a little bit of the town’s identity and fjord culture may be lost.
2017 Thor Ingolf Tobiassen is, at 80 years old, is Flekkefjord’s very last active wooden boat builder 
The shipyard in Andabeløy was started by his grandfather in the late 1800s. In the 1920s, Thor Ingolfs father and uncle expanded the business into the shipyard we see today. The knowledge in our local and proud wooden boat building tradition is about to be lost…
2017 – Tollbodbrygga before and now 
The piece shows the new wharf and the areal expansion into the fjord, combined with an old town map from about 1900. Anders Beers house, Tollboden and Christiansandsboden are easy to recognize. One can also see the promenade in front of Tollboden once was. I, the artist, have also taken the freedom to mark the whole areal expansion in green. Is this a realistic future vision, or simply wishful thinking?