Place:Hiiu, Estonia

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source: Family History Library Catalog

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Hiiu County ( or Hiiumaa) is one of 15 counties of Estonia, being the smallest county both in terms of area and population. It consists of Hiiumaa (German and ), the second largest island of Estonia, and several smaller islands near it. The county borders Lääne County to the east and Saare County to the south.

History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Human habitation of Hiiumaa can be traced back to the 5th millennium BC. Mesolithic sites in Kõpu peninsula are exemplified by the seal-hunters' settlements. There are several well-preserved grave fields of the Iron Age. In 1228, the island was first mentioned in written annals under the name Dageida. In 1254, Hiiumaa was divided between the Livonian Order and the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek. In 1563 Hiiumaa was annexed into Sweden. In 1710, as a result of the Great Northern War the island went under the control of the Russian Empire. During World War I, the German military forces occupied Hiiumaa in 1917. In 1918–1940 Hiiumaa was part of the Republic of Estonia, then until 1991 occupied by the Soviet Union.

On demands of the Hanseatic League a lighthouse was built in Kõpu (previously known as Dagerort) at the beginning of the 16th century. It is considered the third-oldest continuously operating lighthouse in the world, still showing its light to of the sea.

Most of the farm architecture comes from the 19th century. Prominent examples include the Mihkli farming complex and Soera farm-museum with historical national artifacts, respectively.

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