Lake Storsjön's shores have long been inhabited.
Though the area where Östersund is situated was for a very long time Frösön's link to the east mainland.
Frösön, the island of the Norse god Freyr, was originally the centre of the region and it was here the only inland Scandinavian hill fort, Mjälleborgen, was built around 300 AD.
The ancient Scandinavian thing Jamtamót was held on this island, the christening of Jämtland begun here and it was here the World's northern-most raised runestone, Frösö Runestone, was risen.

Plans regarding the foundation of a Swedish city or köping (market town, "Chipping") in Jämtland existed among governmental officials already after the previously Norwegian province was ceded from Denmark-Norway in 1645.
Queen Christina demanded the establishment of a sconce on Andersön shortly after the province became Swedish, this sconce would together with Frösö sconce secure the Swedish control over Jämtland.
Christina's intention was to locate the "Jamts' city" within this fortification.
In order to construct the sconce the local inhabitants were coerced into forced labour 1651 but after protests and lack of capital the project was ended in 1654.

In 1758, the plans were brought back up through an initiative from the chief financial officer Pehr Schissler and the proposition did however initiate a new debate whether or not a city was to be established in Jämtland, in order to counteract the trading and faring traditions of Jämtland's farmers.
Several other attempts at constraition had previously been taken, and deemed unsatisfactory.
Östersund was founded and given its charter by Monarch Gustav III of Sweden on 23 October 1786, shortly after the outskirt of the Odensala farmers' lands were bought for the purpose.
Several other places had been suggested, like Huså the then-largest settlement in Jämtland along with Krokom, Sunne and Ede outside of Brunflo.
Frösön was also a candidate but the lot fell on Östersund, as it was deemed most favourable.
The only thing actually located in the area at the time was the main road and the bridge to Frösön.
Östersund was upon foundation freed from taxes during a 20-year timespan and completely liberated from trade regulations and guild order.
In other remote locations of the Nordic region, similar cities were founded, like Reykjavík in Iceland the very same year, Tromsø (1794) in Northern Norway and Tampere (1775) and Kuopio (1782) in the Finnish inland.
Östersund is however the only city in present-day Sweden to have been founded in the 18th century.

The city developed poorly and had to struggle in its infancy.
The State tried to pursue the Jamtish traders on Frösön to migrate to the new city but they had no intentions of leaving such a rich parish with fertile soils Frösön consisted of in favour of the swamp and marches across the strait.
During its first 50 years the city's population only grew (on average) with eight people per year.
The city did become the capital of the newly founded county consisting of the provinces Jämtland and Härjedalen in 1810, meaning that a county residence was built and a county administrative board was located to the city.
Though Östersund remained as a de facto village with less than 400 inhabitants in 1820.
An upswing occurred in the 1850s, as trade was liberalized and the logging industry developed.

It took until the construction of the railroad in 1879 before Östersund became a real city and actually gained the status as Jämtland's centre, at Frösön's expense.
Thanks to the "farmer chieftain" Nils Larson i Tullus the railroad came to pass through the city itself instead of outside it, as planned.
The railway from coast to coast across the then union between Sweden and Norway was finished in 1882, connecting Östersund closer to Trondheim and Sundsvall.
Östersund then came to grow faster than any other Swedish city.
After ten years it had passed 20 Swedish cities in population.
The city attracted immigrants, a slight majority from the Jamtish countryside, though still with a high number of settlers from southern Sweden.
While Öster
Lake Storsjön's shores have long been inhabited. Though the area where Östersund is situated was for a very long time Frösön's link to the east mainland. Frösön, the island of the Norse god Freyr, was originally the centre of the region and it was here the only inland Scandinavian hill fort, Mjälleborgen, was built around 300 AD. The ancient Scandinavian thing Jamtamót was held on this island, the christening of Jämtland begun here and it was here the World's northern-most raised runestone, Frösö Runestone, was risen.
Plans regarding the foundation of a Swedish city or köping (market town, "Chipping") in Jämtland existed among governmental officials already after the previously Norwegian province was ceded from Denmark-Norway in 1645. Queen Christina demanded the establishment of a sconce on Andersön shortly after the province became Swedish, this sconce would together with Frösö sconce secure the Swedish control over Jämtland. Christina's intention was to locate the "Jamts' city" within this fortification. In order to construct the sconce the local inhabitants were coerced into forced labour 1651 but after protests and lack of capital the project was ended in 1654.
In 1758, the plans were brought back up through an initiative from the chief financial officer Pehr Schissler and the proposition did however initiate a new debate whether or not a city was to be established in Jämtland, in order to counteract the trading and faring traditions of Jämtland's farmers. Several other attempts at constraition had previously been taken, and deemed unsatisfactory. Östersund was founded and given its charter by Monarch Gustav III of Sweden on 23 October 1786, shortly after the outskirt of the Odensala farmers' lands were bought for the purpose. Several other places had been suggested, like Huså the then-largest settlement in Jämtland along with Krokom, Sunne and Ede outside of Brunflo. Frösön was also a candidate but the lot fell on Östersund, as it was deemed most favourable. The only thing actually located in the area at the time was the main road and the bridge to Frösön. Östersund was upon foundation freed from taxes during a 20-year timespan and completely liberated from trade regulations and guild order. In other remote locations of the Nordic region, similar cities were founded, like Reykjavík in Iceland the very same year, Tromsø (1794) in Northern Norway and Tampere (1775) and Kuopio (1782) in the Finnish inland. Östersund is however the only city in present-day Sweden to have been founded in the 18th century.
The city developed poorly and had to struggle in its infancy. The State tried to pursue the Jamtish traders on Frösön to migrate to the new city but they had no intentions of leaving such a rich parish with fertile soils Frösön consisted of in favour of the swamp and marches across the strait. During its first 50 years the city's population only grew (on average) with eight people per year. The city did become the capital of the newly founded county consisting of the provinces Jämtland and Härjedalen in 1810, meaning that a county residence was built and a county administrative board was located to the city. Though Östersund remained as a de facto village with less than 400 inhabitants in 1820. An upswing occurred in the 1850s, as trade was liberalized and the logging industry developed.
It took until the construction of the railroad in 1879 before Östersund became a real city and actually gained the status as Jämtland's centre, at Frösön's expense. Thanks to the "farmer chieftain" Nils Larson i Tullus the railroad came to pass through the city itself instead of outside it, as planned. The railway from coast to coast across the then union between Sweden and Norway was finished in 1882, connecting Östersund closer to Trondheim and Sundsvall. Östersund then came to grow faster than any other Swedish city. After ten years it had passed 20 Swedish cities in population. The city attracted immigrants, a slight majority from the Jamtish countryside, though still with a high number of settlers from southern Sweden. While Öster
Östersund