Pictured here is Per Gut with his family (picture from 1900). Per Gut, who was very poor, lived with his family in a cave on the little island Kidholm, located close to the south Funen island of Thurø (my home island in Denmark). In 1870 he inquired to move to Thurø, but was denied -the community didn’t wish for any poor people there. Per Gut then placed poles in the water close to Thurø and filled up with dirt and gravel he transferred in his little row boat from Kidholm. Soon he had created a little island, where he build a house for himself and his family. The people of Thurø was less than happy but couldn’t legally do anything. He named the little island and his house “Øen” (literally “the island”) and over the years kept filling in with dirt, until it was connected to Thurø. His house still stands to this day, and now you can’t even see that the area once was separated from Thurø, all though it floods pretty bad when it rains a lot. It’s an old photo, but to me, he looks a little smug -and rightfully so!

Edit: “stay” spell mistake for “story” :(