Evanger Municipality
Evanger herad | |
|---|---|
| Ævanger herred (historic name) | |
 View of Evanger village | |
 Hordaland within Norway | |
 Evanger within Hordaland | |
| Coordinates: 60°39′N 06°07′E / 60.650°N 6.117°E / 60.650; 6.117 | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Hordaland |
| District | Voss |
| Established | 1 Jan 1885 |
| • Preceded by | Voss Municipality |
| Disestablished | 1 Jan 1964 |
| • Succeeded by | Voss Municipality and Vaksdal Municipality |
| Administrative centre | Evanger |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (1948–1963) | Ivar Bjørgo (Sp) |
| Area (upon dissolution) | |
• Total | 590.6 km2 (228.0 sq mi) |
| • Rank | #167 in Norway |
| Highest elevation [1] | 1,432 m (4,698 ft) |
| Population (1963) | |
• Total | 1,338 |
| • Rank | #560 in Norway |
| • Density | 2.3/km2 (6.0/sq mi) |
| • Change (10 years) |  −10% |
| Demonym | Vassvøring[2] |
| Official language [4] | |
| • Norwegian form | Nynorsk[3] |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-1237[5] |
Data from Statistics Norway | |
Evanger is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The 590.6-square-kilometre (228.0 sq mi) municipality existed from 1885 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now divided between Voss Municipality and Vaksdal Municipalityin the traditional district of Voss in Vestland county. The administrative centre was the village of Evanger where the Evanger Church is located. Other villages in the municipality included Nesheim and Bolstadøyri.[6]
Prior to its dissolution in 1964, the 590.6-square-kilometre (228.0 sq mi) municipality was the 167th largest by area out of the 689 municipalities in Norway. Evanger Municipality was the 560th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 1,338. The municipality's population density was 2.3 inhabitants per square kilometre (6.0/sq mi) and its population had decreased by 10% over the previous 10-year period.[7][8]
General information
The municipality of Evanger was established on 1 January 1885 when the large Voss Municipality was divided as follows: the western district of Voss (population: 2,045) became the new Evanger Municipality and the rest of Voss Municipality (population: 5,403) remained as Voss Municipality.[9]
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Evanger Municipality was dissolved. The Bergsdalen and Eksingedalen valleys (population: 251) were merged with parts of Bruvik Municipality and Modalen Municipality to create the new Vaksdal Municipality. The rest of Evanger Municipality (population: 1,075) was merged into the neighboring Voss Municipality.[9]
Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Evanger farm (Old Norse: Ævangir) since the first Evanger Church was built there. The first element comes from the word æja which means "to rest and eat" or "to rest and feed". The last element is the plural form of vangr which means "field" or "meadow". The name probably means something like "a place where one lets horses graze while on a journey". Historically, the name was spelled Ævanger until the early 20th century.[10]
Churches
The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within Evanger Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Evanger prestegjeld and the Hardanger og Voss prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.[8]
| Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evanger | Evanger Church | Evanger | 1851 |
| Nesheim Church | Nesheim | 1908 | |
| Bergsdalen Church | Bergsdalen | 1955 |
Evanger Church was the main church for the municipality and it served the central part of the municipality. There were also two annex chapels: Nesheim Church served the northern areas and Bergsdalen Church served the southern areas of the municipality.
Geography
The 590-square-kilometre (230 sq mi) municipality included the eastern part of the Eksingedalen valley, the area surrounding the lake Evangervatnet, and the Bergsdalen valley. The highest point in the municipality was the 1,432-metre (4,698 ft) tall mountain Kvitanosi, on the border with Voss Municipality.[1] Vik Municipality (in Sogn og Fjordane county) was located to the north, Vossestrand Municipality was located to the northeast, Voss Municipality was located to the east, Kvam Municipality was located to the southeast, Samnanger Municipality was located to the south, Bruvik Municipality was located to the southwest, and Modalen Municipality was located to the northwest.
Government
While it existed, Evanger Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.[11] The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Gulating Court of Appeal.
Municipal council
The municipal council (Heradsstyre) of Evanger Municipality was made up of 17 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 4 | |
| Conservative Party (Høgre) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Note: On 1 January 1964, Evanger Municipality became part of Voss Municipality and Vaksdal Municipality. | ||
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 4 | |
| Conservative Party (Høgre) | 1 | |
| Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 8 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 4 | |
| Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 6 | |
| Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) | 6 | |
| Total number of members: | 16 | |
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 6 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 16 | |
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 4 | |
| Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 6 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 6 | |
| Total number of members: | 16 | |
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 4 | |
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 12 | |
| Total number of members: | 16 | |
| Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945. | ||
Mayors
The mayor (Nynorsk: ordførar) of Evanger Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people held this position:[18][19][20][21]
- 1885–1887: Gulleik Horvei
- 1888–1897: Anders Kvilekvaal
- 1898–1898: Johannes Horvei (V)
- 1899–1913: Nils B. Mugaas (V)
- 1914–1916: Johannes Horvei (V)
- 1917–1928: Nils B. Mugaas (V)
- 1929–1937: Olav B. Rongen (V)
- 1938–1941: Gustav A. Hantveit (V)
- 1942–1945: Lars B. Horvei (NS)
- 1945–1946: Gustav A. Hantveit (V)
- 1946–1947: Magne Hjørnevik (Bp)
- 1948–1963: Ivar Bjørgo (Bp)
Notable people
- Knute Nelson (1843–1923), a United States Senator
- Bjørn Rongen (1906–1983), a novelist and children's book writer
- Viking Mestad, a politician for the Norwegian Liberal Party
See also
References
- ^ a b "Kart over Noreg" (in Norwegian). Kartverket.
- ^ "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
- ^ "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1932. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 453–471. 1932.
- ^ "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
- ^ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (9 January 2024). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon.
- ^ Thorsnæs, Geir, ed. (27 November 2024). "Evanger (sogn og tidligere kommune)". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
- ^ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
- ^ a b Statistisk sentralbyrå (1 January 1951). Norges Sivile, Geistlige, Rettslige og Militære Inndeling 1. Januar 1951 (PDF). Norges Offisielle Statistikk (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: H. Aschehoug & Co.
- ^ a b Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
- ^ Rygh, Oluf (1910). Norske gaardnavne: Søndre Bergenhus amt (in Norwegian) (11 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 521.
- ^ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (25 November 2024). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
- ^ Gjerdåker, Johannes (1991). Ålmenn soge for Voss: Frå 1800 til vår tid (in Norwegian). Vol. 2. Voss: Voss bygdeboknemnd. p. 222. ISBN 8290622112.
- ^ Schjærven, Lars; Gjerdåker, Johannes (1982). Evangerboka. Gards- og ættesoge (in Norwegian). Vol. 1. Voss: Voss bygdeboknemnd. ISBN 8271010875.
- ^ Schjærven, Lars; Gjerdåker, Johannes (1984). Evangerboka. Gards- og ættesoge (in Norwegian). Vol. 2. Voss: Voss bygdeboknemnd. ISBN 8299122104.
- ^ Ringheim, Johannes; Leiro, Lars; Ringheim, Anders, eds. (1991). Voss senterparti 70 år. Politisk oversyn – bygdepolitikken 1921–1991 (in Norwegian). Voss: Voss bygdeboknemnd. pp. 62–84. ISBN 8290451369.
External links
- Evanger parish records
