The village’s history spans several thousand years. Archaeological excavations tell us that people were already coming here 7000 years ago. As in many parts of Norrland, poor and landless families moved here in connection with the state’s distribution of land in the 19th century. By setting up small farms, they hoped to eventually buy out their own farms. As part of the state’s efforts to cultivate swamp forests and marshlands in Norrland, experimental farms were established. Such an experimental farm was established in Alträsk in 1909 by the Chemical and Plant Biology Institute in Luleå. A recent curiosity – and a completely different industry – is that several films have been shot in and around the village: Jägarna (1995), Så ock på jorden (2015) and The Isdraken (2012). The latter was largely recorded in and on the field below the village hall.