The Starter Cabin at Skreros

OWNERSHIP

The cabin was purchased for NOK 4,500 by merchant O.R. Sundstøl on February 14, 1939. Until then, he had run a general store in the house and also housed construction workers who were working to complete the Sørlandsbanen railway. During the construction period, Skreros and Oggevatn were central locations for finalizing the train route from Oslo to Kristiansand, which was officially opened in 1938. Sundstøl later moved to Kristiansand and opened a grocery store at Klappane.

After renovations, the cabin was officially opened in November 1939 by then-chairman Sverre Tharaldsen and cabin manager Einar Kristiansen. Together with his wife Selma, Kristiansen played a key role in running the cabin for many years. Long before the cabin's inauguration, Kristiansen had already been an active club member with several leadership roles, in addition to being a skilled football player. He also became the club’s second honorary member (1931). After renovations, the cabin's total cost was NOK 7,000.

In 1968, the cabin was sold to the Grim Christian Boys' Association for NOK 15,000. At that time, watchmaker Jakbob Nilsen was the head of the association.
Since then, the property has changed owners several times, and the most recent transaction took place in 2017, when a German couple purchased it for NOK 1,290,000!

The 1940s

The early years were marked by World War II. Major renovation work that had begun before the outbreak of war on April 9, 1940, was halted. During the evacuation in 1940, 65 club members gathered at the cabin. On Thursday, January 9, 1941, the following small notice appeared in Fædrelandsvennen: "The Starter Cabin is closed until further notice."

The Germans used the cabin as a recreation facility during the occupation, and it suffered significant damage during the war years. When peace returned and the club regained the cabin, major volunteer efforts were required. Built-in bunks were installed, and electric lighting was added. A new fireplace lounge was built, among other improvements. Carpenter Gunnar Ween led the volunteer team, which spent 42 weekends at Skreros in a single year. Einar "Kidjan" Kristiansen and his wife Selma hosted at the cabin from the beginning until 1947. Gunnar Ween was later awarded the Senior Council’s recognition gift in 1949.

The 1950s and 1960s

In the 1950s and 1960s, the cabin became very popular with city residents seeking outdoor recreation, especially for skiing trips. Start was quick to arrange a deal with NSB (Norwegian State Railways) for ski trains from the city on Sundays. The area around Oggevatn Station became a central gathering point for city residents wanting to test their skiing skills. Eventually, both Donn and Oddersjaa clubs also acquired cabins in the area. Start held its annual club championships in cross-country skiing here, and ski jumping events were also organized.

According to local history, Start hosted a jubilee ski jumping competition during its 50th anniversary in 1955, where as many as 1,500 spectators reportedly came to see Oskar Bjerva set a hill record of 30 meters. Elderly residents who still live at Skreros recall that on a nice winter Sunday in the 1960s, between 5,000–6,000 ski enthusiasts from the city might visit — many arriving by ski train, others by car.

Outside the winter season, the "lingonberry trains" were also popular, and Start’s orienteers used the cabin frequently for races and training.

But on December 13, 1968, the Grim Christian Boys' Association officially took over ownership of the property

Skreros-hytta pr 2025