Vestre Gausdal Municipality


Vestre Gausdal is a former municipality in the old Oppland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1879 until its dissolution in 1962. The area is now part of Gausdal Municipality in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre was the village of Forset.
Prior to its dissolution in 1962, the municipality was the 90th largest by area out of the 731 municipalities in Norway. Vestre Gausdal Municipality was the 351st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 2,630. The municipality's population density was and its population had decreased by 6.7% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

In 1879, the large Gausdal Municipality was divided into two separate municipalities: Vestre Gausdal Municipality and Østre Gausdal Municipality. Vestre Gausdal Municipality included the larger, more rural parts of the old municipality and Østre Gausdal was much smaller and more densely populated and it was located in the southwestern part of the old municipality. The border between the two municipalities was the river Jøra.
During the 1950s, there was a boundary dispute between the neighboring Vestre Gausdal Municipality and Sør-Fron Municipality. On 27 July 1956, a land court determined the final boundary between the two municipalities and a small part of Vestre Gausdal Municipality was transferred to the neighboring Sør-Fron Municipality.
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1962, Vestre Gausdal Municipality and Østre Gausdal Municipality were reunited as Gausdal Municipality once again.

Name

When the large Gausdal Municipality was divided into two new municipalities in 1879, the western part was given the prefix which means "western". The municipality is named after the Gausdalen valley since the municipality is located in the valley. The first element is named after the river Gausa which flows through the valley. The river name comes from the verb which means to "gush", "burst out", or "stream forcefully". The last element is which means "valley" or "dale".

Churches

The Church of Norway had two parishes within Vestre Gausdal Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Vestre Gausdal prestegjeld and the Sør-Gudbrandsdal prosti in the Diocese of Hamar.
Parish Church nameLocation of the churchYear built
Vestre GausdalVestre Gausdal ChurchForset1784
Vestre GausdalAulstad ChapelAulstad1864
SvatsumSvatsum ChurchSvatsum1860

Geography

The municipality was located in the Gausdalen valley and east of the Jøra river. Sør-Fron Municipality was to the north, Østre Gausdal Municipality was to the east, Fåberg Municipality was to the southeast, Torpa Municipality was to the south, Nord-Aurdal Municipality was to the southwest, and Øystre Slidre Municipality was to the west. The highest point in the municipality was the tall mountain Nordre Langsua on the northern border with Sør-Fron Municipality.

Government

While it existed, Vestre Gausdal Municipality was responsible for primary education, 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. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Eidsivating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council of Vestre Gausdal Municipality was made up of representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors

The mayor of Vestre Gausdal Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:
  • 1879–1881: Rev. John Christian Bergan
  • 1882–1891: Sven Kalstad
  • 1892–1895: Simen Kalstad
  • 1896–1897: Peter Kraabøl
  • 1898–1901: Simen Kalstad
  • 1902–1904: Peter Kraabøl
  • 1905–1910: Martin Kraabøl
  • 1911–1913: Peter Kraabøl
  • 1914–1916: Johannes Galaasen
  • 1917–1919: Hans N. Bø
  • 1920–1922: Einar Galåsen
  • 1923–1925: Arne Kalstad
  • 1923–1931: Einar Galåsen
  • 1931–1934: Olav Kirkebø
  • 1934–1937: Einar Galåsen
  • 1937–1940: Hans Høistad
  • 1941–1941: Olav Kirkebø
  • 1941–1945: Thoralf Helleberg
  • 1945–1956: Hans Høistad
  • 1956–1957: Hans Krag Sandberg
  • 1958–1959: Magnus Saghaugen
  • 1960–1961: Jørgen Johansen