After being hit by flooding, major fires and siege by invading Swedish troops, it had become a rather poor town with around 400 residents when the merchant H. C. Grønvold established a facility for salting herring and started a largescale export of grain in the early 19th century.
Efter at være blevet ramt af oversvømmelser, flere store brande og belejring af svenske tropper var byen blevet fattig og havde omkring 400 beboere, da købmanden H. C. Grønvold oprettede en fabrik der saltede sild og eksporterede korn i starten af 1800-tallet.