Oberkulm
Encyclopedia
Oberkulm is a municipality
in the district of Kulm
, in the canton
of Aargau
in Switzerland
.
. In 1295 Oberkulm, individually, was mentioned as Obern Chulnbe. The earliest evidence of a settlement is a celtic gold coin from the 1st Century BC. During the Roman era
Oberkulm was the site of a Roman estate (villa columbaria, 1756–58 and 1902 excavations) and Alamanni
graves, both from the 1st Century AD. In the 13th Century the village was possessed the Habsburgs, Beromünster
Abbey and the Lords of Reinach
. From 1415 until 1798 it belonged to Bern as part of the bailiwick
of Lenzburg. In 1433 the rights to high justice
were purchased from the Austrian county of Lenzburg by the city of Bern. Low justice was, starting in 1306, in the possession of the Herrschaft
of Rued, but was sold in 1517 to Bern.
The Protestant Reformation
was introduced in 1528. Ecclesiastically Oberkulm has always been part of the parish
of Kulm. The parish church
is located in Unterkulm.
Towards the middle of the 18th Century, small scale cotton spinning and weaving became common in the village. At the beginning of the 21st Century there were various small industrial enterprises. About 60% of the working population, work in the industrial sector while about 26% work in the services sector. A regional retirement home
was built in the municipality in 1979.
The American President
Herbert Hoover
was a decedent of Johann Heinrich Huber who emigrated to the United States from Oberkulm.
Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 1.1% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 6.4% and transportation infrastructure made up 3.5%. 33.7% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.4% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 18.3% is used for growing crops and 30.5% is pastures, while 3.2% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
The municipality is located in the Kulm district, in the middle Wynental
(Wyna river valley). It consists of the village of Oberkulm and a number of scattered small settlements in neighboring side valleys.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Tierced per pale Sable Argent and Azure.
The age distribution, , in Oberkulm is; 246 children or 10.4% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 348 teenagers or 14.7% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 280 people or 11.8% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 302 people or 12.7% are between 30 and 39, 386 people or 16.3% are between 40 and 49, and 331 people or 13.9% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 221 people or 9.3% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 170 people or 7.2% are between 70 and 79, there are 73 people or 3.1% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 17 people or 0.7% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.58 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.57 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43.1 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 60.1% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage
or a rent-to-own agreement).
, there were 49 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 375 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 390 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. The average number of people per household was 2.60 individuals. , there were 826 private households (homes and apartments) in the municipality, and an average of 2.6 persons per household. there were 489 single family homes (or 50.7% of the total) out of a total of 965 homes and apartments. There were a total of 5 empty apartments for a 0.5% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 7.6 new units per 1000 residents.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 48.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP
(13.7%), the FDP
(13.2%) and the CVP
(5.8%).
In Oberkulm about 69.6% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
). Of the school age population , there are 201 students attending primary school, there are 79 students attending secondary school in the municipality.
The historical population is given in the following table:
) at Im Obersteg 106 is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance
.
there were 1,125 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 825 or about 73.3% of the residents worked outside Oberkulm while 426 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 726 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 12.6% used public transportation to get to work, and 51.2% used a private car.
. Of the rest of the population, there was 1 individual who belonged to the Christian Catholic
faith.
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
in the district of Kulm
Kulm (district)
Kulm District is a district in the canton of Aargau, Switzerland. It is located west of Lake Hallwil and covers parts of the Wyna and Suhre valleys. The principal town is Unterkulm; the largest municipality is Reinach. The district contains 17 municipalities, is 101.35 km² in area and has a...
, in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Aargau
Aargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
History
Oberkulm is first mentioned in 1045 as Chulenbare, though this is for both Oberkulm and UnterkulmUnterkulm
Unterkulm is a municipality in the district of Kulm in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:Both Roman ruins near the church and late-Roman coins at Sonnenhof indicate that the area near Unterkulm was settled during the Roman era. However, Unterkulm is first mentioned in 1045 as Chulenbare...
. In 1295 Oberkulm, individually, was mentioned as Obern Chulnbe. The earliest evidence of a settlement is a celtic gold coin from the 1st Century BC. During the Roman era
Switzerland in the Roman era
The history of Switzerland in the Roman era encompasses the roughly six centuries during which the territory of modern Switzerland was a part of the Roman Republic and Empire...
Oberkulm was the site of a Roman estate (villa columbaria, 1756–58 and 1902 excavations) and Alamanni
Alamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
graves, both from the 1st Century AD. In the 13th Century the village was possessed the Habsburgs, Beromünster
Beromünster
Beromünster is a municipality in the district of Sursee in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland. On 1 January 2009 Gunzwil became part of Beromünster.-History:...
Abbey and the Lords of Reinach
Reinach
- Places :*Reinach, Aargau , a municipality in Switzerland*Reinach, Basel-Country , a municipality in Switzerland- Surname :* Adolf Reinach , German philosopher...
. From 1415 until 1798 it belonged to Bern as part of the bailiwick
Bailiwick
A bailiwick is usually the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff, and may also apply to a territory in which the sheriff's functions were exercised by a privately appointed bailiff under a royal or imperial writ. The word is now more generally used in a metaphorical sense, to indicate a sphere of...
of Lenzburg. In 1433 the rights to high justice
High, middle and low justice
High, middle and low justices are notions dating from Western feudalism to indicate descending degrees of judiciary power to administer justice by the maximal punishment the holders could inflict upon their subjects and other dependents....
were purchased from the Austrian county of Lenzburg by the city of Bern. Low justice was, starting in 1306, in the possession of the Herrschaft
Herrschaft
Herrschaft may be:*Herrschaft , a concept introduced by Max Weber in his Economy and Society; the term has no English equivalent and is usually left untranslated, but roughly means institutionalized authority inducing obedience...
of Rued, but was sold in 1517 to Bern.
The Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
was introduced in 1528. Ecclesiastically Oberkulm has always been part of the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Kulm. The parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
is located in Unterkulm.
Towards the middle of the 18th Century, small scale cotton spinning and weaving became common in the village. At the beginning of the 21st Century there were various small industrial enterprises. About 60% of the working population, work in the industrial sector while about 26% work in the services sector. A regional retirement home
Retirement home
A retirement home is a multi-residence housing facility intended for senior citizens. Typically each person or couple in the home has an apartment-style room or suite of rooms. Additional facilities are provided within the building, including facilities for meals, gathering, recreation, and some...
was built in the municipality in 1979.
The American President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
was a decedent of Johann Heinrich Huber who emigrated to the United States from Oberkulm.
Geography
Oberkulm has an area, , of 9.41 square kilometres (3.6 sq mi). Of this area, 4.89 square kilometres (1.9 sq mi) or 52.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while 3.4 square kilometres (1.3 sq mi) or 36.1% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.1 square kilometre (0.424712374451789 sq mi) or 11.7% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.01 km² (2.5 acre) or 0.1% is either rivers or lakes and 0.01 km² (2.5 acre) or 0.1% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 1.1% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 6.4% and transportation infrastructure made up 3.5%. 33.7% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.4% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 18.3% is used for growing crops and 30.5% is pastures, while 3.2% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
The municipality is located in the Kulm district, in the middle Wynental
Wynental
The Wynental is the Wyna River valley mostly in Canton Aargau, but also Canton Lucerne, Switzerland. Municipalities found in the Wynental include Beinwil am See, Beromünster, Burg, Gontenschwil, Leimbach, Menziken, Neudorf, Oberkulm, Pfeffikon, Reinach, Teufenthal, Unterkulm, and Zetzwil.The...
(Wyna river valley). It consists of the village of Oberkulm and a number of scattered small settlements in neighboring side valleys.
Coat of arms
The blazonBlazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
of the municipal coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is Tierced per pale Sable Argent and Azure.
Demographics
Oberkulm has a population of , 18.6% of the population are foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of 4.5%. Most of the population speaks German (89.4%), with Turkish being second most common ( 3.6%) and Albanian being third ( 1.6%).The age distribution, , in Oberkulm is; 246 children or 10.4% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 348 teenagers or 14.7% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 280 people or 11.8% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 302 people or 12.7% are between 30 and 39, 386 people or 16.3% are between 40 and 49, and 331 people or 13.9% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 221 people or 9.3% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 170 people or 7.2% are between 70 and 79, there are 73 people or 3.1% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 17 people or 0.7% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.58 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.57 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43.1 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 60.1% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
or a rent-to-own agreement).
, there were 49 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 375 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 390 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. The average number of people per household was 2.60 individuals. , there were 826 private households (homes and apartments) in the municipality, and an average of 2.6 persons per household. there were 489 single family homes (or 50.7% of the total) out of a total of 965 homes and apartments. There were a total of 5 empty apartments for a 0.5% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 7.6 new units per 1000 residents.
In the 2007 federal election
Swiss federal election, 2007
Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament of Switzerland, were held on Sunday, 21 October 2007. In a few cantons, a second round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November, 18 November, and 25 November 2007...
the most popular party was the SVP
Swiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
which received 48.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(13.7%), the FDP
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....
(13.2%) and the CVP
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
(5.8%).
In Oberkulm about 69.6% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
Fachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
). Of the school age population , there are 201 students attending primary school, there are 79 students attending secondary school in the municipality.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1653 | 285 |
| 1850 | 1,784 |
| 1900 | 1,331 |
| 1920 | 1,207 |
| 1950 | 1,522 |
| 2000 | 2,252 |
Heritage sites of national significance
The Kornspeicher (a granaryGranary
A granary is a storehouse for threshed grain or animal feed. In ancient or primitive granaries, pottery is the most common use of storage in these buildings. Granaries are often built above the ground to keep the stored food away from mice and other animals.-Early origins:From ancient times grain...
) at Im Obersteg 106 is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance
Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
.
Economy
, Oberkulm had an unemployment rate of 1.67%. , there were 108 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 40 businesses involved in this sector. 466 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 27 businesses in this sector. 202 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 51 businesses in this sector.there were 1,125 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 825 or about 73.3% of the residents worked outside Oberkulm while 426 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 726 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 12.6% used public transportation to get to work, and 51.2% used a private car.
Religion
From the , 377 or 16.7% were Roman Catholic, while 1,404 or 62.3% belonged to the Swiss Reformed ChurchSwiss Reformed Church
The Reformed branch of Protestantism in Switzerland was started in Zürich by Huldrych Zwingli and spread within a few years to Basel , Bern , St...
. Of the rest of the population, there was 1 individual who belonged to the Christian Catholic
Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland
The Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland is the Swiss member church of the Union of Utrecht, also known as Old Catholic Church, originally founded by the jansenists, with a later influx of discontented Catholics following their disappointment with the First Vatican Council. It has 14,000...
faith.