Loksa
Encyclopedia
Loksa is a town and municipality
in Harju County
, northern Estonia
. It has a population of 3,403 (as of 1 January 2010) and covers an area of 3.81 km².
The Valgejõgi
river runs through Loksa and drains there into Hara Bay.
The development of what is known these days as the town of Loksa started around 1874 when the landlords of Kolga
established a new brickyard
outside Loksa village. Around this factory a new market town
was born.
In 1903, a shipyard
was established, boosting the community's further growth. From Loksa bricks were transported to Reval (now Tallinn
), Helsingfors (now Helsinki
) and Saint Petersburg
. Although no ships were built in Loksa, the shipyard was heavily used for repairing ships from 1905 onwards.
By the end of the 19th century, there were 36 dwellings in Loksa. By 1934, their number had grown to 150. Loksa soon became the administrative centre of Loksa Parish which was part of Harju County
until 1949 and of Viru County from 1949 to 1950.
From 1950 to 1957, Loksa was the administrative centre of Loksa District. After a new administrative reform in 1957 Loksa became part of Harju District.
The brickyard was closed down in 1981, but the shipyard continued to be expanded until the end of the Soviet occupation and remains until this day the main employer in town.
With the restoration of the Republic of Estonia in 1991, Loksa became again a centre of the restored Loksa Parish and was elevated from market town to town on August 25, 1993.
Since the beginning of 1990s, the population of Loksa has decreased by more than one fifth. This has been mainly caused by growing unemployment, resulting from closure and downsizing of several companies not fit for new economic climate.
In 2000, there were 1,650 inhabitants in labor force, 750 of whom were working somewhere else.
The main ethnic group in Loksa is Russians
, making up about 57% of the whole population. Estonians
make up less than one third of all inhabitants.
With the influx of Russian workers in late 1940s, three classes for Russian-speaking children were created in 1948. Loksa primary school was upgraded to secondary school in 1952 and renamed Loksa 1. Secondary School, the name it bears also today. Until 1988, both Russian and Estonian children studied in the same school.
In the end of 1980s, both Russian- and Estonian-speaking community had grown big enough to justify creation of a second school. Loksa 2. Secondary School for Russian-speaking children was established in 1988 and is still operational, since 1996 under the name of Loksa Russian Gymnasium.
Municipalities of Estonia
A Municipality is the smallest administrative subdivision of Estonia. Each municipality is a unit of self-government with its representative and executive bodies. The municipalities in Estonia cover the entire territory of the country....
in Harju County
Harju County
Harju County , or Harjumaa , nowadays one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in northern Estonia, on the south coast of the Gulf of Finland, and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Järva County to the south-east, Rapla County to the south, and Lääne County to the south-west.528,468 people...
, northern Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. It has a population of 3,403 (as of 1 January 2010) and covers an area of 3.81 km².
The Valgejõgi
Valgejõgi
Valgejõgi is a river in Northern Estonia. Its source is in Lake Porkuni in Pandivere and it drains into Hara Bay at Loksa .-Geography:...
river runs through Loksa and drains there into Hara Bay.
History
The village of Loksa was first mentioned in 1687 but this area is known in modern times as the village of Kotka.The development of what is known these days as the town of Loksa started around 1874 when the landlords of Kolga
Kolga
Kolga is a small borough in Kuusalu Parish, Harju County, northern Estonia. It has a population of 490 .-External links:*...
established a new brickyard
Brickyard
A brickyard is a place or yard where the earthen building material called bricks are made, fired, and stored, or sometimes sold or otherwise distributed from.-See also:...
outside Loksa village. Around this factory a new market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
was born.
In 1903, a shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
was established, boosting the community's further growth. From Loksa bricks were transported to Reval (now Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
), Helsingfors (now Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
) and Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. Although no ships were built in Loksa, the shipyard was heavily used for repairing ships from 1905 onwards.
By the end of the 19th century, there were 36 dwellings in Loksa. By 1934, their number had grown to 150. Loksa soon became the administrative centre of Loksa Parish which was part of Harju County
Harju County
Harju County , or Harjumaa , nowadays one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in northern Estonia, on the south coast of the Gulf of Finland, and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Järva County to the south-east, Rapla County to the south, and Lääne County to the south-west.528,468 people...
until 1949 and of Viru County from 1949 to 1950.
From 1950 to 1957, Loksa was the administrative centre of Loksa District. After a new administrative reform in 1957 Loksa became part of Harju District.
The brickyard was closed down in 1981, but the shipyard continued to be expanded until the end of the Soviet occupation and remains until this day the main employer in town.
With the restoration of the Republic of Estonia in 1991, Loksa became again a centre of the restored Loksa Parish and was elevated from market town to town on August 25, 1993.
Population
In 2000, there were 1,650 inhabitants in labor force, 750 of whom were working somewhere else.
The main ethnic group in Loksa is Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
, making up about 57% of the whole population. Estonians
Estonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
make up less than one third of all inhabitants.
| Year | Estimated population on January 1 |
|---|---|
| 1989 | 4311 |
| 1990 | 4325 |
| 2001 | 3500 |
| 2002 | 3503 |
| 2003 | 3487 |
| 2004 | 3482 |
| 2005 | 3474 |
| 2006 | 3469 |
| 2007 | 3454 |
| 2008 | 3437 |
| 2009 | 3405 |
Education
The history of education in Loksa dates back to December 1867 when teacher Jakob Janter started to teach 20 children in a local farm house. The first schoolhouse was built in 1903, but this building burned down in 1927. Restoration work took two years and was completed in 1929.With the influx of Russian workers in late 1940s, three classes for Russian-speaking children were created in 1948. Loksa primary school was upgraded to secondary school in 1952 and renamed Loksa 1. Secondary School, the name it bears also today. Until 1988, both Russian and Estonian children studied in the same school.
In the end of 1980s, both Russian- and Estonian-speaking community had grown big enough to justify creation of a second school. Loksa 2. Secondary School for Russian-speaking children was established in 1988 and is still operational, since 1996 under the name of Loksa Russian Gymnasium.