1802 the first church on Holmön, named Helena Elisabeth was built. In 1838 the current lighthouse on Holmögadd was built. In 1860 the Swedish Riksdag parliament voted to release the farming population from the duty to bring mail across Kvarken. In 1891 Helena Elisabeth Church becomes too crowded and a new church designed by Fritz Eckert is built on Strandsberget hill. In 1925 Holmön is designated a separate municipality. In the 1930s regular ferry traffic was taken up between Holmön and Ostnäs in mainland Sweden. In 1956 the ferry's mainland port of call is moved to Norrfjärden. In 1957 Helena Elisabeth's church is moved to Gammlia open-air museum near Umeå. From 1974 the islands are part of Umeå Municipality and stop being Sweden's smallest municipality. In 1980 Holmöarna are designated a nature reserve. The reserve is Sweden's largest marine nature reserve. In 1983 the current ferry, named Helena Elisabeth, is put into service. In 1984 a birding centre is housed in the former lighthouse keeper's residence on Stora Fjäderägg. In 1994 the first Holmön Folk Festival (Visfestival Holmön) was held. In 1998 Holmön's Ship Museum is inaugurated. In 2001 a youth hostel was opened in the former lighthouse keeper's residence on Stora Fjäderägg. Culture Postrodden is a yearly festival in memory of the duty imposed for centuries on the inhabitants of the Holmöarna and Björkö islands to bring mail and travellers across Kvarken. Visfestival Holmön is a Folk Festival held in held every year in July since 1994. Communications Communications between Byviken and Norrfjärden on the mainland are carried out free of charge by a car ferry in the ice-free months or as long as the boat is able to break its own course through the ice. Once the ice has grown too thick to break, a hydrocopter is put to use, but being susceptible to pervading winds, it is often replaced with a helicopter service. The ferry ride to the islands takes approximately 45 minutes. From time to time Holmöslupen, a reconstructed sloop as was once common along the coast of Västerbotten, sails between Byviken and Stora Fjäderägg accepting passengers. References External links Holmön's English-language homepage Nature Guide to Kvarken: Holmöarna (in Swedish) Umeå Municipality: Holmöarna Islands of Västerbotten County