History of Karvia Municipality
Excerpts from the text by Iiris-Maija Koivujärvi-Viitala.
Between 1450 and 1850, during the so-called Little Ice Age, the climate was much colder than it is today. Since Karvia is a plateau and is higher than its surroundings, the climate was even colder here, and did not give agriculture the chance to succeed. This explains why Karvia was settled very late compared to the rest of the area. However, Stone Age (8000-1300 BC) objects have been found in Karvia, on the shores of what was then a large lake. In the Bronze Age that followed the Stone Age, the population decreased, but in the Iron Age from 500 BC to 1300 AD, the population increased, and the current inhabitants are descendants of Iron Age people.
Originally, Karvia was the northernmost corner of Suur-Sastamala. In the 1200th century, it was divided into Kyrö and Karkku. Tradition tells of the people of Karvia going to church in Karkku. However, there were no residents in Karvia at the time, but people who were on hunting trips here went to church in Karkku. Some researchers have suggested that the name Karvia comes from the Karva house in Karkku.
In any case, Karvia belonged to Kyrö in the 300th century. In secular terms, Karvia belonged to the Crown's common lands, where private pleasure lands were located. In the 1500th century, it is mentioned that Karvianlampi, or the current Kirkkojärvi, was a wilderness enjoyment area of the village of Heinijärven.
A fort called Kyrön Skanssi was established in Karvia in the 1630s, with the purpose of keeping an eye on military deserters. Kyrön Skanssi was located on the then border of Ostrobothnia and Finland. In the 1650s, a garrison was established there, whose inhabitants fiercely opposed the new settlement of Karvianjoki.
After the mid-1600th century, the people of Ilmajoki began fishing in Lake Karvianjärvi. The people of Ilmajoki drew Lake Karvianjärvi on their maps as part of their recreational area, and the people of Kyrö had also claimed the Karvianjärvi lakes as their own. An attempt was made to settle the matter in 1652, when a compromise was made that the houses of Karvian would pay their taxes to Hämeenkyrö, but belong to the Kauhajoki chapel. The final demarcation of the current location was completed in 1783.
Thus, Kyrö had become the administrator, and Karvia was its northernmost corner. Kyrö was divided into four parts of equal tax-paying ability. Karvia belonged to the largest of them, the Lahdenpohja quarter. One peasant was appointed to each quarter to collect taxes. Little by little, taxation began to become more severe. All kinds of additional taxes were imposed on the peasants.
During the time of the Puijasoda (1596), the first permanent settlement was built in Karvia, apparently on the shore of Lake Karvia at Tontinmäki. It was not a small settlement, but consisted of 15 different buildings. The first listed residents of Karvia were entered in the list of taxable persons, which began in 1635. At that time, only one house was taxed in Karvia, whose name in 1712 was Käkelä from Karvia Station. In 1654, there were four taxable people in Karvia!
According to the church register of 1798, there were 54 houses or crofts in Karvia. But a new war began in 1808, known as the Finnish War, and the war also affected Karvia in many ways.
Until the late 19th century, local government was largely the responsibility of the church and the parish. In 1866, a municipal law was passed, separating secular and ecclesiastical power. The first municipal meeting was held in Karvia on 23 April 1866 in Erkkilä's house, which was then the site of the current rectory. The secular power was represented by a judge who held court in Kankaanpää. Courts were usually held four times a year.
