page_title: Glarus Nord
section_title: Mollis
hierarchical_section_title: Glarus Nord / History / Mollis
caption_attribution_description: English: Airfield of Mollis, canton of Glarus, SwitzerlandEsperanto: Aerodromo de Mollis, Kantono Glaruso, SvislandoDeutsch: Flugplatz Mollis, Kanton Glarus, Schweiz
context_page_description: Glarus Nord is one of three municipalities of the canton of Glarus, Switzerland.
  Effective from 1 January 2011, Glarus Nord incorporates the former municipalities of Bilten, Filzbach, Mollis, Mühlehorn, Näfels, Niederurnen, Oberurnen and Obstalden.
context_section_description: Mollis is first mentioned in 1288.
  The oldest trace of a settlement in Mollis is a Gallo-Roman temple discovered on the Hüttenböschen about 100 m (330 ft) from Walen Lake. The temple was probably built between AD 50 and 150 and used until the 4th century. In the 8th century, Säckingen Abbey acquired several large estates in Mollis. Parts of the medieval Letzi fortification (a Cultural Property of National Significance in Näfels) were built near Beglingen village after the Battle of Näfels in 1388.
  The village chapel was built in 1280. It was elevated to a church in 1319 and in 1444 became a parish church for the newly created Mollis parish.  Fridolin Brunner, the parish priest in 1523-25, introduced the Reformation to Mollis. However, many residents remained Catholic and the icons remained in the church and mass was celebrated until 1529. Once the village church converted to the new faith, the Catholic faithful joined the parishes of Näfels or Oberurnen. The current church was built in 1761 by Hans Ulrich Grubenmann, and the Roman Catholic St. Mary's Church opened in 1963.
  Until the 15th century the local economy was dominated by subsistence agriculture and shepherding. After that time, sheep were gradually replaced by larger livestock such as cattle which summered in alpine pastures and were raised for sale. In the 18th century, local farmers switched to raising dairy cattle. In the 16th century a spring fed pool was built on the Walenberg and around 1600 another opened in Rüfi. From 1600 until the 19th century the pools and the visitors that they brought were another source of income for the village. Between 1714 and 1789 many of the residents began spinning cotton yarn, which raised the standard of living for the whole village. Another source of income came from many residents who became mercenary officers: so many officers from Mollis made their fortunes in foreign military service that the village became known as an "Aristocrats' Nest".  Following the 1798 French invasion and the conflicts during the Helvetic Republic, troops were often sent to Mollis and the population suffered under frequent occupation.
  The construction of the Escher canal in 1807-11 and the Linth correction which finished in 1827 finally ended century-long conflicts with neighboring municipalities over the boundaries along the river.
  The Kerenzerbergstrasse was built in 1836-51, and helped connect Mollis to the surrounding towns. In 1859 the United Swiss Railways built a station between Näfels and Mollis. In 1856 the Jenny & Co. spinning and weaving factory moved into the village. The large factory remained in operation until 1967. In 1860 Pfeiffer AG built a linen factory, which was acquired by the American Standard Textile Company in 2000.
  The municipality built a school in 1862. The secondary school, which was open from 1863 until 1872 and then again after 1883 was used by students from Kerenzen village until 1973. A girls' boarding school opened in 1846. It later became a Children's and Youth Home, but this closed in 1983. A military airfield was built on the commons in 1936. It became a civilian airfield in 2005.
caption: Buildings at Mollis airfield
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