The today's central place of the municipality Finnentrop originated, because in 1861 because of the bridge over the Lenne and the road into the Biggetal a stop of the Ruhr-Sieg-Bahn was established at this place. The name was borrowed from the village, which lies a little up the Bigge and is now called "Altfinnentrop".
The 44.6 km long Bigge rises near Römershagen (municipality of Wenden) in the southernmost tip of Westfalen, flows through Olpe, the Biggesee, Attendorn and the Ahauser Stausee.
The construction of the railroad made the area near the station interesting for the iron industry, which depended on transport capacity. A rolling mill (now ThyssenKrupp) located between Attendorn and Olpe was relocated here and an ironworks was built somewhat closer to the station. The rolling mill had its own factory housing and its residents, but employees of the railroad also planted allotments to supply fruit and vegetables.