Ekermanska malmgården

Can you smell the tobacco? Imagine fields of it, right here where the Ekermanska malmgården stands. This unassuming red building, nestled between the Ringvägen and the Southern Main Line, holds centuries of stories within its wooden walls. The Ekermanska malmgården wasn’t always so peaceful. In the 1700s, this area was a bustling hub. A gardener, a tanner, and a herring packer called this place home. Later, a dragoon and then a customs inspector named Jakob Hagman took up residence. The house was even known as “Grӧna gården” or “Green Garden.” Tobacco became a significant part of the Ekermanska malmgården’s history in the mid-1700s. Then, in 1770, Carl Fredrik Ekerman, a man of the law, purchased two cottages here. Ekerman, whose family had already amassed significant land holdings in Södermalm, dreamed of restoring his grandfather’s legacy. He envisioned transforming this area into a thriving estate. He meticulously acquired more land, borrowing heavily to build the Ekermanska malmgården. By 1780, the Ekermanska malmgården was officially recognized. However, Ekerman’s ambitious plans left his finances in disarray upon his death in 1792. Thankfully, the Ekermanska malmgården remained within his family, passed down through generations. A detailed assessment from 1813 reveals the extent of the estate. Double gates opened onto a garden boasting 100 fruit trees and 200 berry bushes. Tobacco fields and a barn stood nearby, alongside stables for ten horses, a sheep pen, a cow shed, pigpens, and even a greenhouse. Extensive tobacco plantations stretched eastward towards present-day Timmermansparken. In 1856, the Ekermanska malmgården left the family, sold to Captain Bengt Gartz who transformed it into a tavern named “Lätta livet” or “Easy Life.” Research later revealed that the Ekermanska malmgården is not one structure, but a collection of four, possibly five, small houses joined together. The oldest section, the kitchen, likely dates back to the late 1600s. While it may not have been a grand residence for the prominent Ekerman, it served as home to his widow and children after his passing. Over the years, the Ekermanska malmgården changed hands again, becoming property of Stockholm City in 1897. The city then provided housing for low-income families within its walls. The building fell into disrepair and by 1975, it was deemed uninhabitable. Thankfully, the Högalid Hembygdsförening stepped in, advocating for its preservation. The Ekermanska malmgården we see today stands as a testament to their efforts, restored to its former glory and now a vibrant community center. As you look at the Ekermanska malmgården, remember its journey. It has been a green garden, a tobacco plantation, a family home, a tavern, low-income housing, and now a cherished piece of Stockholm’s history.