Name
Although "foss" means waterfall in Icelandic, there are no waterfalls in the town.
Overview
Selfoss was settled by Þórir Ásason sometime after 1000; however, the Icelandic sagas mention that Ingólfur Arnarson was here during the winter of 873-74 under the mountain Ingólfsfjall, which is west of the Ölfusá.
In the summer of 1891, due to the lobbying of Tryggvi Gunnarsson, a member of the Alþing, the first suspension bridge was built over the Ölfusá. This was a major undertaking for Icelandic infrastructure. The bridge made the town a logical center for services for the surrounding agricultural region. The current bridge was built in 1945 after the original structure collapsed.
In 1900 there were only 40 inhabitants, but by 2006 the population had climbed to 6000.
In 1931 the dairy firm Mjólkurbú Flóamanna and general store Kaupfélag Árnesinga were established. These two companies were the main employers in the area for several decades. During WWII the British stationed troops at Selfoss to guard the strategic bridge.
Current history
Today, with more efficient transportation, the town enjoys the proximity to the Reykjavík area and is predicted to grow in coming years as businesses and residents will relocate to it because of lower property prices. This has also led to many relocating their homes from Reykjavik to much calmer Selfoss. It enjoys low rates of unemployment and is the home of one the largest colleges in the country FSU Fjölbrautaskóli Suðurlands. In early August, the town holds a festival called "Sumar í Selfoss", meaning "Summer in Selfoss". Local residents decorate their gardens with ribbons, colored according to neighborhood, and a fete is held on the public grassland
