Duvbo, a residential area in Sundbyberg. Does this name spark curiosity? Duvbo might seem like just another suburb. However, it carries a unique history.
Duvbo had 2217 inhabitants in 2019. It is located in suburban Stockholm. The Duvbo metro station serves the area.
Let us journey back to 1899. The property Dufvebol existed then. It was in Spånga municipality. A suburb development company bought it. The company split the land. Roads were built. The area was named Dufbo egna-hems-koloni. This translates to Duvbo own home community.
Within five years the suburb was nearly complete. It housed 1200 residents. Trains started stopping at Sundbyberg Norra station in 1900. This station was nearby. It closed in 1963.
Duvbo became a municipalsamhälle in 1902. This is a sub-municipality. It remained so until 1949. Then it became part of Sundbyberg municipality.
An epidemics hospital was built in 1925. It was on the Ekbacken slope. This was on the south side of Duvbo. The hospital was torn down in the 1960s. Sundbybergs sjukhus replaced it. Today Ekbacken is an elderly care home. Tall residential buildings also stand there.
The Duvbo metro station opened on August 18, 1985. It is on the blue line of the Stockholm metro. The station is in central Sundbyberg. It is named after Duvbo. In 2019 around 2,450 passengers used Duvbo metro station each weekday.
Duvbo Villaägareförening arranges events. These include Valborg celebrations. These also include Duvbodagen and Christmas tree gatherings. Duvbodagen is on the last Saturday in August.
Duvbo’s villa owners association represents Stockholm’s first own-home area. The first houses were built here in the late 1800s. Residents have experience managing their own affairs.
Aktiebolaget Hem på landet founded Duvbo. Carl Alm was the CEO. The company acquired Dufvebols gård. The property was divided into 325 plots.
In the summer of 1899, plots were sold. The price was 7 öre per square foot. A tenth of the purchase price was paid in cash. The rest was paid over 10-15 years.
Duvbo Kolonistförening held its first meeting on October 7, 1900. The most urgent issue was the school. Children had to go to Spånga church for school. The group worked quickly. A new school opened in 1902.
The association also contacted the railway company. They arranged more frequent trains. They also arranged shelters at Sundbyberg Norra station. Postal services were improved.
Brand issues were discussed. Wells were drilled. Roads were made passable. In 1904 Duvbo church district completed a church. The Archbishop inaugurated it.
The first school soon became too small. A new, larger school was built. It was completed in 1907. A cooperative trading association started in 1900. In 1907 they moved into their own shop. Duvbo Library was later established upstairs.
In 1903, fire regulations were introduced. Every male resident between 18 and 60 had to join the fire brigade. The Spruthuset was built. It stored fire equipment.
Regular bus traffic began in 1922. In 1908, electricity was introduced. In 1920, work began on municipal water. Ten years later, toilets were installed.
In 1949, Duvbo was incorporated into Sundbyberg. The era of Duvbo Municipalsamhälle ended. In 1987, Duvbo was declared of national interest. This was for cultural heritage preservation.
So next time you pass through Duvbo, remember its story. Remember the community. Remember its journey from farmland to a vibrant suburb.