Hornstrandir Nature Reserve was established in 1975 by the Icelandic goverment and under the managment of the Icelandic Environment Agency.
At the beginning of the 20th century there were three fishing villages, Hesteyri, Latrum and Seabol along with a few farms on the Hornstrandir peninsula. There were only a few roads on the Hornstrandir, and it was not possible to get there by car, so the only form of transport on the Hornstrandir was by horse or boat. The main industry was the salt fish market, but during the depression years of the 1930’s the salt fish market collapsed, then in the 1940’s the Herring station at Hesteyri closed. Because of no work people moved away, mostly to Isafjordur but also all around Iceland.
By 1952 the whole of the Hornstrandir peninsula become abandondoned when the last people moved away.
Today some of the old houses have been ronovated and are used by the family desendants of the orignal residants and the only all year resident is that of the lighthouse keeper.