also known as "Marit Vang"
Prehistory Oppdal is an alpine community which dates back to the Norwegian
Iron Age. It is located at a crossroads for traffic from
Trondheim, the
Dovrefjell mountain range, and
Sunndal Municipality on the west coast. This is reflected in the three rays in the coat-of-arms. Oppdal was first settled sometime before 600
CE. By then there were about 50 farms in the area, and this number grew by about 20 more in the
Viking Age. There are remnants of over 700
Pagan grave mounds from the time at Vang, in which jewelry and other pieces from the
British Isles were found. This indicates that the area was relatively affluent and participated in the Viking trade. Much of the affluence was likely derived from the availability of game, both in the area and from nearby mountain ranges. Several game traps can still be seen in mountains around Oppdal, particularly ditches for
reindeer. There have been more than 80 finds of at least two different types of
arrowheads in the area. Archeological finds in Oppdal indicate that there were less pronounced economic disparities than elsewhere in Norway. Communal efforts to hold off famine and share burdens appear to have been common throughout several centuries.
Middle Ages During the Christian era, Pagan shrines and grave mounds were replaced by churches and chapels. Five rural churches were built in Oppdal at the time, in Vang, Ålbu, Lønset, Lo, and Nordskogen. The
Oppdal Church, built to replace an earlier
stave church in 1653, stands to this day. Oppdal was particularly affected by the
Black Plague, which led to the abandonment of a number of farms. With a worsening of the climate, the community hadn't recovered 170 years later, and there were only 35 farms and 350 people left. Only one church at Vang was still in use. As late as 1742, people in Oppdal died of hunger.
Modern period In the early 17th century, Oppdal's fortunes turned and population grew. By 1665, 2,200 people lived in Oppdal, and a new church was built at Vang, the
Oppdal Church, which stands to this day. The
Lønset Chapel and
Fagerhaug Chapel have been re-established, and Oppdal houses several other religious communities. Since the 18th century, the inhabitants of Oppdal have made significant investments in education, leading to the establishment of several small rural schools and, recently, a high school. In the 19th century, increased fertility and reduced mortality led to population growth that could not be sustained by agricultural resources. Many became
tenant farmers, and eventually a large proportion of people from Oppdal emigrated to the United States. The population decreased until 1910, when the
railroad from
Oslo to Trondheim via
Dovre (the
Dovre Line) created employment and opened the area for tourism. In 1952, the first ski lift opened, and with further expansions Oppdal now offers one of Norway's largest downhill networks. During the
German occupation of Norway (
World War II), Oppdal and
Dombås were the locations of the Stalag 380
prisoner-of-war camp, relocated in late 1942 from
Skarżysko-Kamienna in
German-occupied Poland. In 2013,
NRK said that a Labour Party politician was fighting against the establishment of a refugee center. ==Government==