In May 1000 Otto III issued a diploma taking the female monastery of Oedingen into his protection.
Helga Schauerte-Maubouet (born 8 Mars, 1957, Lennestadt) is a German-French organist, woman writer and editor of music.
Karl Joseph Schulte was born in Haus Valbert (part of Lennestadt), to Oswald and Antonetta (née Schlünder) Schulte.
The hills are named after the village of Saalhausen, part of the town of Lennestadt, which is located on the southern edge of this forested region.