Rantakatu 50, Town Hall, end window on the museum side.
In 1862, the town of Raahe purchased a detached house built by customs officer Brunow to serve as the town hall. The purchase included an outbuilding, which served as a police station until 1974.
In 1862, the city of Raahe purchased a detached house built by customs officer Brunow to serve as a town hall.
Brunow was born in Kaarina on March 7, 1799. He graduated from high school in Turku in 1816. In 1822, he completed his law degree. He became customs officer in Raahe in 1832. The house was completed in 1839. On January 26, 1860, Brunow moved from Raahe to Hamina, where he died on June 23, 1873.
The house sale included an outbuilding, which served as the Raahe police station until 1974, when the State Office Building was completed on Rantakatu street. The building had two prison cells and a guard office. Apparently, the bailiff's own office was located in the town hall.
In 1872, four men were hired for the city's guard system. The bailiff served as the chief. Two men patrolled the streets at night. The other two were on duty at the city prison and also served as city servants. Their duties included, for example, keeping the courtyard of the town hall and the road leading to the fire station clean. They had to keep the city's fire hydrants open.
The city jail housed a collection of gruesome instruments of punishment: handcuffs, neck irons, leg irons, and shackles. A gruesome gallows stood in the courtyard of the police station. From time to time, the bailiff would carry out executions. Then the howling could be heard far beyond the fence.
Market peace violators will be punished
Market peace was declared by the town servant beating a drum, and market peace could not be broken. Guards (order patrols) patrolled the market to maintain order, assisted by night watchmen. Their main task was to prevent excessive drinking, especially on holidays, and to arrest vagrants, thieves, and troublemakers.
Once, a farmer from Siikajoki caused a disturbance by sleeping on Kirkkokatu street while heavily intoxicated. The magistrate's court fined him 10 marks.
A farmer from Alavieska was fined 70 marks after getting into a scuffle with the police. The police had been called to disperse a rowdy crowd from the Paavonperä (now Tornitalo) brewery at closing time. (Arto Pikkarainen: History of the Raahe Police Department 1871–1996)
The police station's broom closet
Old-timers in Raahe remember that the police station's broom closet was haunted. New police officers who came to town were promised big bonuses if they dared to spend the night there. It had become customary for young police officers to be put to the test while on duty.
When night fell, strange noises and incomprehensible movements could be heard from the attic of the old house. The older constable believed that ghosts were at work. The young police officers had to get used to them.
There is also a story about a strange sack of bones. The sack, which had been delivered to the house, was hurriedly taken to the basement and placed among other junk. The police officers on duty noticed a gray, dark-skinned man who came out of the porch in the evening and, without saying a word, went down to the basement.
This happened many times during the autumn, and the atmosphere in the house became tense. When the matter was investigated, the sack of bones was found in the basement. It was disposed of properly by taking its contents to the cemetery. The gray man was not seen again after that. (Aki Pulkkanen: Gunilla and the Strange Stories)
More information
The police station located in the courtyard of the town hall has been demolished. Residential buildings have been built on the site.
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