# Mo, Telemark

Mo is a former municipality in Telemark county, Norway. The 694-square-kilometre (268 sq mi) municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Tokke Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Vistad which is located just west of the present village of Dalen.

## History

The parish of Mo was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). In 1879, there was a small border adjustment where a part of Laardal Municipality (population: 6) was transferred to Mo Municipality. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Mo Municipality (population: 1,658) and Lårdal Municipality (population: 1,929) were merged to form a new municipality called Tokke.

### Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Mo farm (Old Norse: Mór) since the first Mo Church was built there. The name is identical with the word mór which means "heath" or "moorland".

## Government

While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.

### Municipal council

The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Mo was made up of 21 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
Mo heradsstyre 1960–1963 :
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 13 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 2 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 21 |
Mo heradsstyre 1956–1959 :
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 11 |
| | Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 1 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 4 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) | 5 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 21 |
Mo heradsstyre 1952–1955 :
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 11 |
| | Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 2 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) | 11 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 24 |
Mo heradsstyre 1948–1951 :
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 8 |
| | Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 3 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 3 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) | 10 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 24 |
Mo heradsstyre 1945–1947 :
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 13 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) | 7 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 24 |
Mo heradsstyre 1938–1941* :
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 12 |
| | Joint list of the Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) and the Liberal Party (Venstre) | 12 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 24 |
| Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945. |||

### Mayors

The mayors (Norwegian: ordfører) of Mo:
* 1838-1843: P.B Wettergreen
* 1844-1845: Talleiv Tarjeisen Løvig
* 1847-1855: Aanund Knudsen Mostøyl
* 1856-1867: Olaf Storaaslid
* 1868-1870: Aanund Knudsen Mostøyl
* 1871-1884: Olav Johnsen Midtbø
* 1885-1887: Olav L. Felland
* 1888-1889: Gjermund O. Holten
* 1890-1892: Olav L. Felland
* 1893-1900: Olav O. Brattestaa
* 1901-1904: Gjermund O. Holten
* 1905-1910: Dreng Nordjordet
* 1911-1913: Steinar G. Aamdal
* 1914-1916: Olav O. Bergland
* 1917-1919: Steinar G. Aamdal
* 1920-1922: Aasmund Tveito
* 1923-1928: Jon Vistad
* 1929-1931: Aasmund Tveito
* 1932-1937: Jon Vistad
* 1938-1941: Olav G. Nystad
* 1945-1945: Olav Koldkjenn
* 1946-1947: Tarjei Bekk
* 1948-1951: Olaus G. Johre
* 1952-1964: Tarjei Bekk