Eidanger () is a former municipality in Telemark county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Porsgrunn Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Eidanger where Eidanger Church is located.
Prior to its dissolution in 1964, the municipality was the 454th largest by area out of the 689 municipalities in Norway. Eidanger Municipality was the 43rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about . The municipality's population density was and its population had increased by % over the previous 10-year period.
The municipality had excellent natural conditions for building harbours, it became the site of Norsk Hydro's plant at Herøya and the Dalen Portland (now part of the Norcem corporation) concrete factory just outside Brevik. More recently, a major industry in the area is Heistad Fabrikker, which makes products for diabetics. Isola maintains its head office and administration office in Eidanger. Isola has two factories in this area where bitumen-based products and steel roofing tiles are manufactured.
General information Administrative history The formannskapsdistrikt law of 1837 created a system of local government in Norway by establishing each town (ladested or kjøpstad) and each Church of Norway prestegjeld as a civil municipality. On 1 January 1838, Eidanger prestegjeld was established as Eidanger Municipality. On 1 July 1920, an area in the northern part of Eidanger Municipality (population: 550) was transferred to the neighboring Porsgrunn Municipality.
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Eidanger Municipality was dissolved and the following areas were merged to form an enlarged Porsgrunn Municipality: all of Eidanger Municipality (population: ) all of Brevik Municipality (population: ) all of Porsgrunn Municipality (population: ) the Bakke area (population: ) of Hedrum Municipality in Vestfold county the Enigheten, Høyberg, and Skavåsen areas (population: ) of Brunlanes Municipality in Vestfold county
Name The municipality is named after the old Eidanger prestegjeld. The prestegjeld was named after the Eidangerfjorden () since the historic Eidanger Church was built at the head of the fjord. The first element is which means "isthmus" or "neck of land". The last element is which means "fjord" or "bay".
Churches The Church of Norway had one parish () within Eidanger Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Eidanger prestegjeld and the Skien prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder.
Churches in Eidanger MunicipalityParish ()Church nameLocation of the churchYear builtEidangerEidanger ChurchEidangerLangangen ChapelLangangen1891
Eidanger Church () is located in the village of Eidanger and was the main church for the municipality. The church was originally a relatively simple stone church in the Romanesque style, probably built around the year 1150. The church was extended in 1787 and received a new sacristy in 1981. The altarpiece, stained glass and the pulpit is from 1991 and made by Terje Grøstad. The baptismal font is of stone and is from the 1890s. The church has two bells, one from 1720 and one from 1940.
Geography Eidanger Municipality included a peninsula between the Eidangerfjorden and the Frierfjorden. Situated between the urban municipalities (towns) of Brevik and Porsgrunn. It also included the more rural areas to the north and east of the Eidangerfjorden. The highest point in the municipality was the tall mountain Fjerdingen.
Siljan Municipality was located to the north, Hedrum Municipality (in Vestfold county) was located to the northeast, Brunlanes Municipality (in Vestfold county) was located to the east and southeast, Langesund Municipality was located to the south, Brevik Municipality and Stathelle Municipality were located to the southeast, Bamble Municipality was located to the west, and Porsgrunn Municipality and Gjerpen Municipality were located to the northwest.
Government While it existed, Eidanger 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 Bamble District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.
Municipal council The municipal council of Eidanger 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 Eidanger Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:
1838–1839: Jacob Sørensen Hvalen 1840–1843: Carl Nicolay Bugge 1844–1845: Jacob Sørensen Hvalen 1846–1849: Amund Tveten 1850–1852: Jacob Sørensen Hvalen 1853–1857: Amund Tveten 1857–1859: Jacob Sørensen Hvalen 1860–1865: Anders Olsen Langangen 1865–1865: Nils V. Slevolden 1865–1871: Ole P. Grava 1871–1880: H.J. Hvalen 1880–1882: Jacob Olsen Grava 1882–1884: H.J. Hvalen 1884–1886: Jacob Olsen Grava 1886–1888: Peder Pedersen Røra 1888–1889: Aasold K. Ørvig (V) 1889–1895: Jacob S. Skrukkerød (H) 1895–1901: Andreas Ramberg (V) 1902–1904: K. Larsen-Røra 1905–1910: Andreas Ramberg (V) 1911–1916: Olav Versvik (V) 1916–1919: Finn C. Knudsen 1919–1922: Olav Versvik (V) 1922–1929: Ole Petter Grava (Bp) 1929–1931: Peder Roe (V) 1931–1935: Ole Petter Grava (Bp) 1935–1937: Simon Sørli 1937–1941: Gustav Hill (Ap) 1941–1944: Mikael Aamot (NS) 1945–1945: Per Versvik (NS) 1945–1953: Gustav Hill (Ap) 1953–1963: Lars Trevold (Ap)
See also List of former municipalities of Norway
References
External links 1960 census and map of the municipality (page 4)