In this paper, two parishes on Gotland have been the focus for intense study regarding the organisation and formation of local communications networks. The parishes of Buttle and Fröjel have been studied to see if it is possible to say anything about local communication during the 6th century, a task that earlier research has shown to be difficult. The parishes represent two different types of landscapes, one costal and one inland. The paper has also asked questions about how the development and quality of the roads and communications networks have changed over time. It also discuss how the topographical- and cultural landscape has influenced the organisation of the communications network. The following questions are asked in this paper; 1. How was local communication (communications between the farmstead, its economic resources and its connections to the larger communications network) in the parishes organised? 2. What can be said about the communications networks development and quality through time? 3. How was the topographical- and cultural landscape organisation connected to the communications network?   The main methodology used in the paper is the retrogressive methodology used to recreate a possible 6th century communications network. This methodology utilises and studies the relationship between the earliest known communications network, registered in the 18th century maps, together with Iron Age sites registered, in the FMIS database, as well as topographical and geological maps to recreate a possible 6th century communications network. The analysis shows that it is hard to grasp the local communications during the 6th century. The local communications only emerge when the local roads merge with the regional ones. In many cases, the local roads were probably not much more than paths in the edges of the fields or only identified by the use of known landmarks. The investigation also shows that the regional (and local) roads were situated closer to the 6th century settlements than previously thought. It is also shown that the development of the road network has steadily lead to a more refined and rationalised network. The largest changes can be related to the 19th century laga skifte and to the later introduction of motor vehicles. Before the 19th century the situation is quite stable, only some minor changes during the 18th century can be seen until you reach the beginning of the middle ages. The major changes probably relate to changes in the landscape organisation in relation to the introduction of Christianity. However, it might also relate to the expansion of cultivated land and the resulting changes of settlement patterns. The investigation also shows that the topographical landscape on Gotland provides little hindrance for the organisation of the landscape. Instead, it feels very much like an artificial landscape where borders and organisation are created by humans, rather than by natural landscape formations. The borders in this case are created by the use of graves and their location in the landscape.

America is a nation of immigrants and all immigrants brought culture with them. There is not one American culture. Many Ohioans are descended from German ancestors, their German heritage is still present in the cultural and social landscapes. German immigrants came to America in search of farmland and independence.In the period between 1830 and 1890 approximately 1,300 people left Ladbergen, a village of 2,700, with hopes of a better life in America. The main reason for emigration from Germany was changes in the political landscape that led to financial hardship for those who did not own farmland. During the 1800’s German immigrants settled in Ohio, Pennsylvania and along the northern East coast. Choice of location was influenced by proximity to other German immigrants and the possibility for successful agriculture. All immigrants in New Knoxville came from the same village, Ladbergen, which provides a unique example of “chain immigration”.The village was platted by an Irishman, James Lyle, in 1836 and the German immigrants purchased the platted lots. A copy of the map has been preserved.Close to 80% of immigrants had been tenant farmers in Ladbergen. The life of farmers and tenant farmers in Ladbergen has been documented by local historians as is life among early immigrants in New Knoxville. Immigrant families were farmers in Ladbergen and became farmers in New Knoxville. Soil in New Knoxville was fertile and gave good yields of corn,beans, wheat, rye and buckwheat. I visited the area at different seasons and walked in the farmland with the assistance of a local guide. In the US this requires permits from the landowner.This is a flat agricultural area with large open corn and soybean fields with patches of old pineand deciduous forest penetrated by narrow dirt roads.In New Knoxville immigrant families were free to design their farms and living space according to their own preference. Immigrants built and settled in cabins while barns were built to house farm animals. Larger homes inspired by British/American architecture were soon erected and a few of these buildings are on display at the German Heritage Center in New Knoxville. Barns around New Knoxville are usually large gambrel roof barns for storage.People in New Knoxville are proud of their German roots and have an extensive cultural exchange with Ladbergen. German language, for example, was used in newspapers and church services in New Knoxville and in other areas with many German immigrants until the 1950's,some early immigrants never learnt to speak English. An important observation was that the immigrants adjusted very quickly to an American way of life when they depended on it for better housing and food supply but were not eager to mingle with Americans but kept a closed knit community. / Amerika är en nation av invandrare och alla invandrare tog med sig kultur. Det finns inte en amerikansk kultur. Många Ohioans härstammar från tyska förfäder, deras tyska arv är fortfarande närvarande i de kulturella och sociala landskapen. Tyska immigranter kom till Amerika på jakt efter jordbruksmark och självständighet.Under perioden mellan 1830 och 1890 lämnade cirka 1300 människor Ladbergen, en by med 2700 invånare, med hopp om ett bättre liv i Amerika. Den främsta orsaken till emigrationen från Tyskland var förändringar i det politiska landskapet som ledde till ekonomiska svårigheter för dem som inte ägde jordbruksmark. Under 1800-talet bosatte sig tyska immigranter i Ohio,Pennsylvania och längs den norra östkusten. Immigranterna föredrog att bosätta sig i närheten av andra tyska invandrare och i områden med möjligheter till framgångsrikt jordbruk. Alla invandrare i New Knoxville kom från samma by, Ladbergen, vilket är ett unikt exempel på "kedje invandring".Byn mutades in av en irländare, James Lyle, 1836 och de tyska immigranterna köpte tomter. En kopia av den första kartan av New Knoxville finns bevarad.Närmare 80% av invandrarna hade varit arrendatorer i Ladbergen. Bönders och arrendatorers liv i Ladbergen har dokumenterats av lokala historiker, livet bland tidiga invandrare i New Knoxville har också studerats eftersom det är ett exempel på kedje invandring.Invandrarfamiljer var bönder i Ladbergen och blev bönder i New Knoxville. Det krävdes hjälp av en lokal guide för att utforska området utanför byn, det krävs tillstånd av landägaren att uppehålla sig på all typ av privatägd mark i USA. Gårdarna ligger i ett platt jordbruks område med stora öppna majs- och soja-fält som korsas av smala grus vägar. Det finns skogspartier med barr och lövskog på alla gårdar, och immigranterna sparade skog för virke. I New Knoxville var invandrarfamiljer fria att designa sina gårdar efter sina egna önskemål. Invandrare byggde och bosatte sig i stugor medan lador byggdes för att hysa husdjur.Större hem inspirerade av brittisk/amerikansk arkitektur uppfördes snart och några av dessa byggnader visas på German Heritage Centre i New Knoxville. Ladugårdar runt New Knoxville är vanligtvis stora byggnader med brutet tak för maximalt förvarings utrymme.Människor i New Knoxville är stolta över sina tyska rötter och har ett omfattande kulturellt utbyte med Ladbergen. Tyska språket, till exempel, användes i tidningar och gudstjänster i New Knoxville och i andra områden med många tyska invandrare fram till 1950-talet, några av de tidiga invandrarna lärde sig aldrig att tala engelska. En viktig observation var att invandrarna mycket snabbt anpassade sig till ett amerikanskt sätt att leva när de var beroende av det för bättre bostäder och matförsörjning men inte var ivriga att mingla med amerikaner utan levde i ett slutet samhälle.