1. Heikki “Golden Eye” Kokko (1915–1982)

Heikki Kokko was a man who bought himself a wife with one kilo of gold. The story goes that he fell in love with another miner’s wife. This woman was not pleased with her husband Aaro Raumala, who didn’t look after her and the children. Since Heikki Kokko was agreeable to her, they decided to marry. As a compensation Kokko gave Raumala one kilo of gold.

2. Jaakko Isola (1903–1978)

Jaakko Isola was a hermit who went to town only twice a year: in the summer to buy supplies for the year and in the winter to file his tax return. He was a sober and busy gold prospector and used to have regular coffee and eating breaks. People said he was a real gold prospector with the right attitude to life on the gold fields. When he died, a persistent rumour had it that he had hidden 10 kg of gold somewhere on his claim; people searched for the treasure but so far nothing has been found.

3. Jukka Pellinen (1910–1953)

In 1953 Pellinen had turned gloomy and apathetic. He was believing to be betrayed by a woman once again. While his condition seemed to get worse, the others understood that Jukka needed medical attention. They escorted him to Inari to a hostel, because it was Sunday and the hospital was closed. There Jukka Pellinen realized that the others were against him and in mental aberration he stabbed the hostel keeper. Pellinen fled from the hostel, stole a gun and closed himself in a desolate house. The seekers finally found him there. He managed to shoot one of them and was soon killed in the shooting.

4. Kullervo Korhonen aka Machine-Korhonen (1908–1989)

Kullervo Korhonen got an idea of excavator, which he bought on credit. This machine, “Hullu-Jussi” (Crazy John), was hauled with “Mörö”, a discarded military trasportation vehicle, over roadless terrain to the Lemmenjoki river. Kullervo Korhonen had many problems with the machine and before long he was so much in debt that he had to disappear in Sweden.

5. "Petronella" Sylvia van der Moer (1923–2014)

Petronella's legend is one of the most notable ones in Lappish gold history. This Dutch lady arrived in Finland early in summer 1949. She got interested in Lapland and gold prospecting, and wanted to write an article. She traveled to Lemmenjoki with geologist Klaus Säynäjärvi and his party. When the others left back south, Petronella stayed to help the cook in daily routines. In September she left for Ivalo and never returned: the police arrested her, taking her to Helsinki. There was a search warrant for her because of unpaid bills and expired passport. There were rumors of Petronella being a spy, but this was never confirmed. Finally, 18 October 1949 she was expelled from Finland because her staying permit and passport were both expired. Her legacy stays strong as her name can be spotted on i.e. river boats, restaurants and hills.

6. Niilo Raumala (1922–1983) and Yrjö “Bear” Korhonen (1922–2003)

These two men founded this tourist gold panning site in Tankavaara in 1970 to maintain the history and traditions of gold prospecting. After the price of the gold sank rapidly in the beginning of 70s, gold prospecting didn’t offer reliable income anymore. Due this this, the two men started to look for a more reliable source of income in "the tourists’ pockets" and started to teach gold panning to the visitors of Lapland.

7. Jalmari Hepo-oja (1913–1983)

”The banker of Miessi” was a skillful builder: he designed a water driven power station that supplied electricity for radio and lights in his cabin in his claim. He was nicknamed the banker of Miessi because he forged a big nugget in the form of a coin. On one face of the coin was 1 MARKA and the text of the other was Miessin pankki (The Bank of Miessi)

8. Heikki Pihlajamäki (1919–1989)

The governor of Miessi” came to Lapland to work as a logger but drifter to Lemmenjoki in 1950. Living in the nature was always in his mind and he lived in his cosy cabin permanently. He declared his “government” a conservation area and issued passports of Miessi to his friends, in the condition that they would be committed to live in harmony with the nature.

9. Viktor Koivula (1912–1981)

Viktor Koivula was a philosopher who lived in full harmony with the nature. He liked to play chess, but equal opponents were few in the wilderness.The oldtimer had chess pals in other parts of the country but playing by letter took its time. When a move was made on his chess board, Viktor wrote it down on paper. Any passer-by would carry the letter the first 10 kilometres to Kuttura and from there by post to the receiver. The response would follow the same slow route back.

10. Unto Koivunen (1917–2001)

Unto Koivunen was the gardener of gold fields who tended his little garden on his claim in Ruikanmutka. While walking along the Ivalojoki river Koivunen found a piece of strange mineral, possibly platinum. He did not, however, take this heavy piece of rock with him. Later, he wanted to bring the mysterious rock to decorate his home. But it was too late. He never found the rock again. Someone had probably picked it up and taken away.

11. Toivo Liljeqvist (1906–1972)

Liljeqvist was an engineer, known for the floating dredge he designed and built on the bank of Ivalojoki. The “Dinosaur” was tested near Ritakoski, but the results were far from expected. The stony river bottom prevented the dredge from reaching the paydirt. Dinosaur was abandoned on the bank of Ivalojoki where it can still be seen.