This valley was the site to several accidents and recorded events in Norwegian history. During the World War II, Nazis had several concentration camps in the valley. They mainly housed Polish and Russian prisoners, who were used to build the Nordland Line from Trondheim. The stretch of railway passing through Saltfjellet was extremely brutal and many lost their lives building this. The German troops disposed the bodies the majority of the sick/diseased prisoners in the river Ranelva which flows through the Dunderland Valley. The strong currents made it almost impossible to recover anyone.