Iisalmi traces its roots back to the 17th century when the area of Iisalmi was formed with the local church in 1627. In the mid-18th century Finland was under Swedish control. Sweden was at war with Imperial Russia. The area of Koljonvirta in Iisalmi is remembered as one of the battlefields in this war, especially because one of the greatest Swedish victories occurred there. However, Sweden lost the actual war and had to surrender Finland to the Russian empire. Iisalmi gained its status as town in 1891
