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Thurso is situated in Highland in Scotland. The town dates back at least to the 13th century. At one time it was an important port and has had a long trade history. During the mid-20th century the town underwent a large expansion when the Dounreay nuclear power plant was established just 14 kilometers to the west. As a result, the population of the area expanded rapidly. Today visitors will find there is an ample amount of eateries, restaurants, entertainment options and accommodations located in and around Thurso. There are also many sights to see in the immediate vicinity as well.
The Scottish town of Thurso is located on the northern coast of Scotland. It was historically one of two different burghs located in Caithness County.
The history of Thurso reaches back at least to the time of Norse Orcadian rule within Caithness and this came to an end during 1266. The town was an important port during these times and then in later years it was used for trade.
A lot of the town is a planned nineteenth century development and there was a massive expansion on the town during the middle part of the twentieth century, at this time Dounreay Nuclear Power Plant was built. The town is located about nine miles to the west of the power plant.
During a period of about five years between 1955 and 1958 the population in the town of Thurso grew dramatically from two thousand five hundred to twelve thousand. The dramatic growth was mainly due to the nuclear plant as it attracted skilled migrant workers from other parts of the United Kingdom. Once the initial crew at Dounreay left the area the population fell dramatically to about nine thousand.
Thurso is the most northern town on the mainland of the United Kingdom. The office of the Highland council is situated within the town and the town is also home for the main campus of North Highland College, which was formerly known as Thurso College.