[citation needed] During the 19th century, Uddevalla had trouble getting out of its own recession; poverty and alcoholism were widespread among the population.

[citation needed] The reasons were mainly the aftermath of the fire in 1806, the decrease in herring fishing and the opening of the Trollhätte Canal.

Much of that development can be attributed to the Scottish businessman William Thorburn, who is said to have been amazed by the town's beauty and therefore settled down in Uddevalla with his wife Jessy Macfie in 1822.

A prominent person in Uddevalla's history was Ture Malmgren, newspaper publisher and progressive liberal politician.

During the 1958 FIFA World Cup, Uddevalla was one of twelve Swedish towns to host matches, which were played at the Rimnersvallen stadium.

[3] After the Swedish shipyard crisis during the 1980s, resulting in the closing of the Uddevallavarvet, Uddevalla suffered an economic setback.