Randi Borgos
The house had not been lived in for the past 15 years. The local affiliate of The Society for the Preservation of Ancient Monuments (The Society) called, Den Gamle Bergstad was very active in the work of transferring the ownership of the building, and their aim was to secure and preserve important cultural heritage of the mining town. Rasmusgaarden is one of the oldest and most original of the farm properties in the street. At the time when the Society took over the buildings it was emphasised that the property was of great value in showing a part of the mining town’s history and how life was lived by generations of the town’s families.
After the Røros Municipality granted a concession allowing the building to be acquired in order to ensure its preservation it was purchased by The Røros Hotel together with the local preservation society. When the transfer of the property was in order, comprehensive renovation work was commenced and the local members of Den Gamle Bergstad (The Old Mining Town) were very much engaged in completing the work.
At the same time the Society, as the responsible owner, made plans as to how the building should be used and budget ideas for running the building. It was important to find a working plan that would respect the preservation order of the buildings and allow it to be rented out for use. The head office of the Society arranges for rental, while the responsibility for upkeep and the running of the building is left to the local Den Gamle Bergstad. To maintain the knowledge and feeling that the building belongs to the people of Røros is an important part of the way in which the building is managed, and it is used for many local arrangements.
Water was not piped into any of the buildings in Rasmusgaarden. Water was carried from a hand pump situated in the main building from where one fetched the water for all domestic purposes and for the animals and the cattled House. An important part of the work of renovation was to retain the authenticity of the buildings. But requirements for the comfort of modern day guests had to be taken into account so it was agreed to build a small room in the guest stables where more modern facilities were made available. A bathroom was equipped with a toilet and shower and a small kitchen together with a washing up machine.
The Society also owns another property in Bergmannsgata with a preservation order and this is Per-Amundsagaarden, a somewhat larger building, which is also rented out.
Preservation by use
Rasmusgaarden became a protected building in as early as 1940, but it remained under private ownership and animals were kept there right up to 1970. In 1998 the property was sold to The Society for the Preservation of Norwegian Ancient Monuments.