During the middleages "Godegård Mountain" was one of the most ore rich in the Östgöta mining area and here were numerous furnaces. When the useable ore was depleated in the beginning of the 17th century, many furnaces were closed.

During the 1640's Louis De Geer acquired Godegårds parish along with the surrounding areas and formed Godegård's farm ("säteri") of them. He introduced new methods of iron production and established new forges. Iron production at the foundry increased and was during the middle of the 18th century the largest in Östergötland. During the end of the 19th century the production decreased and in 1896 manufacture was ended at the foundry.

The first manor house was built in 1644 by Louis De Geer. After a fire in 1719 the present day manor house was built in the Late Baroque style with contemporary wings. Among the other buildings, a nail shed from the 1600's may be mentioned., where the locals pensants delivered home smithed nails for sale elsewhere, and the steel ovens from the beginning of the 19th century.

During the 1770's Godegård was bought by the Director of the East Indian Company J.A. Grill. He engaged the period's most prominent garden architect F.M. Piper to create the large park in the so called English style. Here winding pathes were laid out and several summerhouses were built, of which the Chinese Pavillion on Lustigkulle is preserved. The park was considered at that time to be one of Sweden's most distinguished.