Vigmostad is a former municipality in the old Vest-Agder county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1911 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Lindesnes Municipality in Agder county. The administrative centre was the village of Vigmostad where Vigmostad Church is located.
Prior to its dissolution in 1964, the municipality was the 527th largest by area out of the 689 municipalities in Norway. Vigmostad Municipality was the 668th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about . The municipality's population density was and its population had decreased by 8.6% over the previous 10-year period.
General information
The municipality of Vigmostad was established on 1 January 1911 when the old Nordre Undal Municipality was divided into two: the southern district (population: ) became the new Vigmostad Municipality and the northern district (population: ) became the new Konsmo Municipality.
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Vigmostad Municipality was dissolved and the following areas were merged to form the new Lindesnes Municipality:
all of Vigmostad Municipality (population: ) all of Spangereid Municipality (population: ) all of Sør-Audnedal Municipality (population: )
Name The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Vigmostad farm ( or ) since the first Vigmostad Church was built there. The first element is derived from an old male given name, either or . The last element is the plural form of which means "place" or "abode".
Churches The Church of Norway had one parish () within Vigmostad Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Nord-Audnedal prestegjeld and the Mandal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder.
Churches in Vigmostad MunicipalityParish ()Church nameLocation of the churchYear builtVigmostadVigmostad ChurchVigmostad1848
Geography The municipality was located in the lower Audnedalen valley, through which the river Audna flows. The highest point in the municipality was a point near the peak of the mountain Bronehei (the peak was in the neighboring Lyngdal Municipality and the municipal border was just east of the peak). Konsmo Municipality was located to the north, Laudal Municipality was located to the northeast, Øyslebø Municipality was located to the east, Sør-Audnedal Municipality was located to the south, Lyngdal Municipality was located to the southwest, and Kvås Municipality was located to the west.
Government While it existed, Vigmostad 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. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Mandal District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.
Municipal council The municipal council of Vigmostad 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 Vigmostad Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:
1911–1919: Per Einar Person Spilling 1920–1934: Ola Askildson Spilling 1935–1941: Daniel Ekeland (V) 1941–1944: Per Person Spilling 1944–1945: Stian Person Opsal 1945–1947: Daniel Ekeland (V) 1948–1951: Sverre Aukland (V) 1952–1955: Per Person Spilling 1956–1960: Olav Løland (Bp) 1960–1963: Torleif Gabrielsen (Sp)
See also List of former municipalities of Norway
References
External links 1960 census and map of the municipality