Vang Municipality (Hedmark)

The historic prestegjeld of Vang was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). In 1848, the village of Hamar was granted kjøpstad status for a land area of about . This newly designated "town" (population: 1,025) was separated from Vang Municipality to become the new Hamar Municipality in 1849. This left Vang Municipality with 7,820 residents. On 1 January 1878, the town of Hamar was enlarged by annexing about of land and 138 people from Vang Municipality. In 1891 Vang Municipality was divided: the western district (population: 3,790) became the new Furnes Municipality and the eastern district (population: 5,703) continued on as a smaller Vang Municipality. In 1946, a large area in Vang Municipality which surrounded the town of Hamar (population: 4,087) was transferred out of Vang and into Hamar Municipality. On 13 July 1956, the parts of Vang Municipality located south of the Åkersvika bay (population: 24) were transferred to Stange Municipality. On 1 January 1964, the Hamarsberget and Vikersødegården exclave areas of Vang Municipality (population: 34) were transferred to the neighboring Ringsaker Municipality. On 1 January 1967 there was a municipal land swap between Vang Municipality and Ringsaker Municipality: Churches The Church of Norway had one parish () within Vang Municipality. It is part of the Hamar domprosti (arch-deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar. ==History==

Early history Archeological evidence provides ties between the Vendel era culture in Uppland and Vang in the period from 600 to 800 AD. Most notable is finding of a fine examples of a Vendel Culture style ring sword in Vang burial mounds; each sword's hilt is adorned with a heavy gold ring upon which oaths were sworn. The use of the ring sword is also mentioned in Beowulf and the Eddas. Åker gård (Aaker farm) in Vang was the site of an ancient Thing () place; it was there that King Magnus I agreed to share power with his uncle Harald Hardråde and the two became co-rulers. In the 11th century the Thing was moved to Eidsvol. Åker remained a king's farm during the Viking period, as well as a local headquarters for the military. At the end of the Hannibal War, General Georg von Reichwein was granted Åker gård as his residence. During the following years it continued to be the residence of senior military officers. Jørgen Otto Brockenhuus, founder of the Brockenhuss–Schack family, resided there in the early 18th century. Support in Hamar was stronger as Vang was a prosperous farming municipality, while Hamar suffered from urban decay. The Storting forced the merger which took place on 1 January 1992. The sponsor for the consolidation was Odd Aspeli (of the Labour Party). He took over as Mayor of Hamar Municipality after consolidation and remained as mayor until 1999. Another chief sponsor against consolidation, Einar Busterud, then assumed the position of mayor. ==Geography==

Vang Municipality was located in the traditional district of Hedmarken. Åmot Municipality was to the north, Løten Municipality was to the east, Stange Municipality was to the south, Hamar Municipality was to the southwest, and Ringsaker Municipality was to the west. The highest point in the municipality was the point on the side of Kroksjøhøgda (the mountain itself is located in neighboring Ringsaker Municipality, and this point on the side of the mountain lies along the municipal border). ==Government==

While it existed, Vang 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 Sør-Hedmark District Court and the Eidsivating Court of Appeal. Municipal council The municipal council of Vang Municipality was made up of 29 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party. {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table Mayors The mayor () of Vang Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position: • 1837–1839: Stenersen • 1840–1842: Ole Nashaug • 1843–1844: Ole Sæhlie • 1845–1847: Henrik Christian Borchgrevink • 1848–1848: C. Rabstad • 1849–1850: Carl Krog • 1851–1856: Ole Sæhlie • 1857–1861: Even Vinsnes • 1862–1862: Harald Heyerdahl • 1863–1870: Andreas Olsen Sæhlie • 1871–1874: Haagen Helstad • 1875–1880: Ole Rømer Aagard Sandberg (H) • 1881–1888: Nils Dørum (V) • 1889–1894: Syver Aalstad (H) • 1895–1896: Martinus Imerslund • 1897–1898: Ole Imerslund • 1899–1900: Syver Aalstad • 1900–1903: Ole Imerslund • 1904–1913: Andreas Karset (V) • 1914–1916: Kristoffer Skraastad (H) • 1917–1918: Ole Holmen (Ap) • 1918–1922: Kristoffer Skraastad (H) • 1923–1928: Ole Sjetne • 1929–1931: Arne Juland (Ap) • 1931–1965: Rudolf Hedemann (Ap) • 1943–1945: Aksel Røhr (NS) • 1965–1969: Arve Nysted (Ap) • 1969–1984: Kåre Storsveen (Ap) • 1984–1987: Ole Andreas Brodal (Ap) • 1988–1991: Odd Aspeli (Ap) ==Notable people==

• Werner Hosewinckel Christie (1877–1927), an agricultural researcher • Werner Christie (1917–2004), a Norwegian air force officer • Mikkel Dobloug (born 1944), a Nordic combined skier • Olga Imerslund (1907–1987), a renowned paediatrician • Abraham Pihl (1756–1821), a clergyman, astronomer, and architect • Mathias Stoltenberg (1799–1871), a painter • Ralph Engelstad (1930–2002), an American whose grandfather Peter emigrated from Vang to Minnesota ==See also==