# Hylestad

Hylestad is a former municipality in the old Aust-Agder county in Norway. The 570-square-kilometre (220 sq mi) former municipality existed from 1915 until its dissolution in 1962. It was located in the southern part of the present-day municipality of Valle in the traditional region of Setesdal in Agder county. The administrative centre was the village of Rysstad where the Hylestad Church was located.

## History

The parish of Hylestad was established as a municipality on 1 July 1915 when the municipality of Valle was divided into two municipalities: Hylestad (population: 658) in the south and Valle (population: 1,051) in the north. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1962, Hylestad was reincorporated into Valle. Prior to the merger Hylestad had a population of 662.

### Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Hylestad farm (Old Norse: Hyljastaðir) since the first Hylestad Church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of the word hylr which means "deep place" or "pool in a river". The last element is the plural form of staðr which means "place", "homestead" or "abode".

## 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 Hylestad was made up of 13 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
Hylestad herredsstyre 1960–1961 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 |
| | List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 13 |
Hylestad herredsstyre 1956–1960 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 5 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 13 |
Hylestad herredsstyre 1952–1955 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 7 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 12 |
Hylestad herredsstyre 1948–1951 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 7 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 12 |
Hylestad herredsstyre 1945–1947 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 6 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 12 |
Hylestad herredsstyre 1938–1941* :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 |
| | Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 5 |
| | List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 12 |
| 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 Hylestad:
* 1915-1916: Gunnar Torgeirsson Rysstad (H)
* 1916-1922: Tarald J. Harstad (Ap)
* 1923-1925: Gunnar Torgeirsson Rysstad (H)
* 1926-1928: Torgeir G. Straume
* 1929-1934: Jon O. Nomeland
* 1934-1937: Aani Aanisson Rysstad (Ap)
* 1938-1941: Jon O. Nomeland
* 1941-1945: Jon T. Rysstad (NS)
* 1945-1951: Jon O. Nomeland
* 1952-1955: Såvi G. Straume (V)
* 1956-1961: Torjus J. Nomeland

## Notable people

* Osmund Faremo (1921-1999), a Norwegian politician
* Aani Aanisson Rysstad (1894-1965), a Norwegian politician