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The 18th century was a time of growth. The rights made Oulu an important
shipping and shipbuilding town. Shipbuilding reached its prime after the
Crimean War in 1865, and soon the merchant fleet of Oulu was the largest in
Finland. A three- building warehouse for tar export was built in the Toppila
district of the town in 1777. The warehouse burnt down in 1901. World
connections also brought fresh breezes to the cultural life.
The heraldic fish of Oulu, the salmon, was an export item and very highly
valued at court in Stockholm as well. The salmon affected the supply of energy
in the industrialising Oulu during the final years of the 17th century as the
order was given that the water and saw mills in the channels of the River
Oulujoki estuary were to be closed for fishing during migration of the salmon
up the river. The Merikoski waterfall could not be harnessed, but the numerous
vigorous offshoots of the estuary provided enough power to equip the arising
industry with machinery.
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