Kesäniemi: Historic Farms and Tar Kilns

Kesäniemi combines its connection to the water with traces of farming and tar production. In the southern part of the area, a historic tar kiln lies about 15 metres from the shore of Yli-Kitka. Aution’s summer cowshed is on the north shore of Naatikkalahti Bay on Yli-Kitka. Alongside its lake scenery, these places give Kesäniemi a distinctly historical character.

Yli-Kitka and the lake scenery

The tar kiln places the site’s proximity to the shore in very specific terms. At the same time, Yli-Kitka is part of Kitka, which consists of Ala-Kitka and Yli-Kitka. The nearby landscape of Kitkajärvi is also part of the picture: it is characterised by broad expanses of water, steep depths, long sandy beaches, shallows, piles of stones, and rocky shallow-water areas. This is a varied range of water and shoreline features, not just one type of beach. Shallows are areas of shallow water.

Information about activities also relates to Kitka as a larger body of water: the fishing season there lasts all summer, and a marked boating route runs lengthwise through Kitka. Different aspects therefore sit side by side: the precisely described shore location of the tar kiln, the landforms of nearby Kitkajärvi, and fishing and a boating route on Kitka. Those interested in the waterscape can consider these local and regional connections separately.

Farms and historic traces

The Kesäniemi farm was established in the 1780s as a pioneer farm. Aution’s summer cowshed, by contrast, was built only in the early 20th century and is regionally significant. The two dates refer to different historical points: the founding of a farm and the construction of a particular building. The summer cowshed has a pyramidal roof, with sloping roof surfaces that meet at the top—a distinctive architectural feature of the building.

The old Kesäniemi farm is also considered a regionally significant, historically evolved farmstead. A 2015 cultural heritage assessment describes the farmyard as having undergone extensive renovation in the preceding years. Thus, the old farm’s history and subsequent building alterations are both part of its character. The Kesäniemi archaeological site, in turn, is a protected ancient monument of the tar-kiln type; its historical period has not been specified. Its embankments stand out clearly in the terrain. Unlike the summer cowshed, whose construction is dated to the early 20th century, the date of the tar kiln remains open.

Choose the focus of your trip

When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first consider which aspect of Kesäniemi you want to shape your trip: its historic farms and ancient monuments, or its waterside landscape. If both matter to you, the tar kiln’s local setting and the broader information about Kitkajärvi and Kitka offer different points of reference for planning your trip.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Apukka, Vahto, Kuivaniemi, Reisjärvi, Pudasjärvi, Syötekylä, Merijärvi, Pyhäntä.

For the broader travel overview: North Ostrobothnia.