Editing Pihtipudas (section)

=== Post-prehistory ===
[[File:Pihtipudas Church 2013.JPG|thumb|Pihtipudas church, Finland]]The Pihtipudas region area was inhabited by [[Sámi peoples]] until the [[Middle Ages]]. The first known fixed settlement was established in the early 16th century with the first permanent residents of Pihtiputa, Pekka Varis and Pekka Rautaparta. The main industries were fishing and hunting, complemented by the development of grain and livestock farming.<ref name="PMC">{{cite web |title=Pihtipudas History |url=http://www.pihtipudas.fi/fi/yleista/historia/?id=251 |website=www.pihtipudas.fi/ |publisher=Pedestputa Municipal Centre | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070830014513/http://www.pihtipudas.fi/fi/yleista/historia/?id=251 |access-date=5 August 2024| archive-date=30 August 2007 }}</ref>

Pihtipudas was first mentioned in 1552 as ''Pictipudhas'', when it was a part of the large [[Rautalampi]] parish.<ref>{{cite web |title=Finnish Settlement Archive: Rautalampi, Laukaa, Viitasaari, Saarijärvi |url=https://digihakemisto.net/item/3617561315/5737448874/47 |website=Digital Directory |publisher=Finnish National Archives |access-date=10 August 2024}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Along with [[Kannonkoski]], [[Kivijärvi]] and [[Konginkangas]], the area was transferred to the newly established Viitasaari parish in 1635.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Viitasaari - Tietoja Viitasaaresta|url=http://www.viitasaari.fi/kaupunki-ja-hallinto/tietoa-viitasaaresta|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180112121929/http://www.viitasaari.fi/kaupunki-ja-hallinto/tietoa-viitasaaresta|archive-date=January 12, 2018|access-date=October 2, 2022|website=viitasaari.fi|language=fi}}</ref>{{Clarification needed|reason=Source states that Pihtipudas is a "neighboring municipality" of the church, according to Google Translate, but does that imply it is a member of the parish?|date=August 2024}}

The main church in Pihtipudas was completed in 1783 and built by the peasant church builder Simo Jylkkä. The belfry was completed in 1785. Pihtipudas became an independent parish in 1863.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SuomalainenPaikannimikirja_e-kirja_kuvallinen.pdf|url=https://kaino.kotus.fi/www/verkkojulkaisut/julk63/SuomalainenPaikannimikirja_e-kirja_kuvallinen.pdf|page=335|access-date=October 2, 2022|website=kaino.kotus.fi|language=fi}}</ref> The church was renovated in 1874, 1950 and 1991.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Church of Pihtiputa - Main Church |url=https://www.pihtiputaanseurakunta.fi/kirkot-ja-tilat/paakirkko |website=pihtiputaanseurakunta.fi |publisher=Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland |access-date=5 August 2024}}</ref> The first public school in Pihtiputas was established in the village church in 1877. In 1917-18 there were 81 students. The first school in Muurasjärvi in the south of the municipality was opened in 1887. A  Girl's National School was established in 1887.<ref name="Ultunen" />

By 1910 there were 286 rental farms in the municipality and 128 small farms of less than 0.5 hectares. Only 2% of the area of the municipality’s 103,771 hectares were cultivated, with 94% forested. Two-thirds of the farmed land, comprising 1,400 hectares, were owned by self-employed farms. In the early 20th century there were 246 residents for every 100 hectares of arable land.<ref name="Ultunen" /> In the late 1920s Lauri Tahko developed a sports field on land donated by the Läheaho estate near his summer cabin on Kolima lake in Hiekanpää, Ilosjoki. This field was used to train Olympic gold medalist [[Hannes Kolehmainen]] and to initiate the sport of Finnish baseball.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lounamaa |first1=Esko |last2=Räisänen |first2=Pentti |title=The Village of Happy Men |date=2009 |publisher=Esko Lounamaa |isbn=952-91-3802-4 |edition=1st}}</ref> 

In the 1940s the municipality was subject to post-war re-settlement with the introduction of migrants from 62 northern parishes, predominantly in the villages of Muurasjärvi and Kärväskylä.  These included evacuees from the agricultural area of [[Sortavala]] (now in Russia) and soldiers from [[Ostrobothnia (administrative region)|Ostrobothnia]].<ref name="Ultunen" /> As a consequence of post-war re-settlement the population grew to 8,500.<ref name="PMC" /> The memorial at the Military Cemetery adjacent to the church was unveiled in 1953 and sculpted by Ilmari Wirkkala. The cemetery contains the graves and memorials for approximately 60 Finnish soldiers, the majority killed in action during the [[Winter War]] of 1939-1940 and the subsequent [[Continuation War]] of 1940-1944.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pihtipudas, Muurasjärven Sankarihautausmaa |url=https://www.sotasampo.fi/en/cemeteries/page/h0673_2 |website=War Sampo |access-date=6 August 2024}}</ref>

On 7 March 1969 Pihtipudas was the location of a [[mass shooting]], in which Tauno Pasanen, a smallholder, shot and killed four armed policemen.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sjöström |first1=Ralf-Erik |title=In Memorium 1917 - 2007: Police officers killed in office |date=2008 |publisher=Pohjola Police Book |isbn=9789525791013}}</ref> The incident was dramatized in the 1972 Finnish film ''[[Eight Deadly Shots]]'', directed by [[Mikko Niskanen]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Kahdeksan Surmanluotia |url=https://elonet.finna.fi/Record/kavi.elonet_elokuva_100658 |website=Elonet |publisher=National Audiovisual Institute |access-date=6 August 2024}}</ref>

The annual Boot Foot Rock festival ('Saapasjalkarock' in Finnish) was held in Pihtiputas between 1976 and 1988 and finally in 2006. The event was held eleven times, attracting an annual audience of 14,000 people. Notable performers at the 1986 festival included [[Metallica]] and [[Fabulous Thunderbirds]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vuorela |first1=Arvo |title=The Boot Foot Rock, born 40 years ago, will be celebrated with a tribute in July 1 |url=https://yle.fi/a/3-8892007 |website=YLE |date=19 May 2016 |access-date=7 August 2024}}</ref>