Mo is a former municipality in Telemark county, Norway. The 694-square-kilometre (268 sq mi) municipality[3] existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Tokke Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Vistad which is located just west of the present village of Dalen.[4]

Mo Municipality
Mo herad
View of the local church
View of the local church
Telemark within Norway
Telemark within Norway
Mo within Telemark
Mo within Telemark
Coordinates: 59°29′02″N 7°50′24″E / 59.48381°N 7.83989°E / 59.48381; 7.83989
CountryNorway
CountyTelemark
DistrictVest-Telemark
Established1 Jan 1838
 • Created asFormannskapsdistrikt
Disestablished1 Jan 1964
 • Succeeded byTokke Municipality
Administrative centreVistad
Area
 (upon dissolution)
 • Total694 km2 (268 sq mi)
Population
 (1964)
 • Total1,658
 • Density2.4/km2 (6.2/sq mi)
Official language
 • Norwegian formNynorsk
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-0832[2]

History edit

The parish of Mo was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). In 1879, there was a small border adjustment where a part of Laardal Municipality (population: 6) was transferred to Mo Municipality. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Mo Municipality (population: 1,658) and Lårdal Municipality (population: 1,929) were merged to form a new municipality called Tokke.[4][5]

Name edit

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Mo farm (Old Norse: Mór) since the first Mo Church was built there. The name is identical with the word mór which means "heath" or "moorland".[6]

Government edit

While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.[7]

Municipal council edit

The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Mo was made up of 21 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Mo heradsstyre 1960–1963 [8]  
Party name (in Nynorsk) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 13
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:21
Mo heradsstyre 1956–1959 [9]  
Party name (in Nynorsk) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 11
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 4
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 5
Total number of members:21
Mo heradsstyre 1952–1955 [10]  
Party name (in Nynorsk) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 11
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 2
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 11
Total number of members:24
Mo heradsstyre 1948–1951 [11]  
Party name (in Nynorsk) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 8
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 3
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 10
Total number of members:24
Mo heradsstyre 1945–1947 [12]  
Party name (in Nynorsk) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 13
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 7
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 4
Total number of members:24
Mo heradsstyre 1938–1941* [13]  
Party name (in Nynorsk) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 12
  Joint list of the Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) and the Liberal Party (Venstre) 12
Total number of members:24
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 edit

The mayors (Norwegian: ordfører) of Mo:[14]

  • 1838-1843: P.B Wettergreen
  • 1844-1845: Talleiv Tarjeisen Løvig
  • 1847-1855: Aanund Knudsen Mostøyl
  • 1856-1867: Olaf Storaaslid
  • 1868-1870: Aanund Knudsen Mostøyl
  • 1871-1884: Olav Johnsen Midtbø
  • 1885-1887: Olav L. Felland
  • 1888-1889: Gjermund O. Holten
  • 1890-1892: Olav L. Felland
  • 1893-1900: Olav O. Brattestaa
  • 1901-1904: Gjermund O. Holten
  • 1905-1910: Dreng Nordjordet
  • 1911-1913: Steinar G. Aamdal
  • 1914-1916: Olav O. Bergland
  • 1917-1919: Steinar G. Aamdal
  • 1920-1922: Aasmund Tveito
  • 1923-1928: Jon Vistad
  • 1929-1931: Aasmund Tveito
  • 1932-1937: Jon Vistad
  • 1938-1941: Olav G. Nystad
  • 1945-1945: Olav Koldkjenn
  • 1946-1947: Tarjei Bekk
  • 1948-1951: Olaus G. Johre
  • 1952-1964: Tarjei Bekk

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  2. ^ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
  3. ^ Helland, Amund (1900). "Mo herred". VIII. Bratsberg Amt. Anden del. Norges land og folk (in Norwegian). Kristiania, Norway: H. Aschehoug & Company. p. 568. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  4. ^ a b Mæhlum, Lars, ed. (21 December 2020). "Mo (i Telemark)". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  5. ^ Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
  6. ^ Rygh, Oluf (1914). Norske gaardnavne: Bratsbergs amt (in Norwegian) (7 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. pp. 402–404.
  7. ^ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  8. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960.
  9. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957.
  10. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952.
  11. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948.
  12. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947.
  13. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938.
  14. ^ "Ordførar". Tokke kommune (in Norwegian Nynorsk). Retrieved 7 August 2023.