# Nordvik Municipality

Nordvik is a former municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The 114-square-kilometre (44 sq mi) municipality existed from 1917 until its dissolution in 1962. The island municipality encompassed the southern part of the island of Dønna as well as the smaller surrounding islands of Vandve, Slapøya, Havstein, and many others in what is now the southern part of Dønna Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Solfjellsjøen. The municipality had 2 churches: Nordvik Church in the north and Hæstad Church in the south.
Prior to its dissolution in 1962, the 114-square-kilometre (44 sq mi) municipality was the 507th largest by area out of the 731 municipalities in Norway. Nordvik Municipality was the 589th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 1,315. The municipality's population density was 11.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (30/sq mi) and its population had decreased by 14.1% over the previous 10-year period.

## General information

The municipality of Nordvik was established on 1 July 1917 when the northern part of Herøy Municipality was divided into two with Nordvik in the north and Herøy in the south. Initially, Nordvik Municipality had a population of 1,530. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1962, Nordvik Municipality (population: 1,293) was merged with the part of Herøy Municipality located on the island of Dønna (population: 19), most of Dønnes Municipality (population: 1,348), and the part of Nesna Municipality on the island of Løkta (population: 80) to become the new Dønna Municipality.

### Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Nordviken farm (Old Norse: Norðvík). The first element is norðr which means "north". The last element is vík which means "bay" or "inlet from the sea".

### Churches

The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within Nordvik Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Herøy prestegjeld and the Nord-Helgeland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.
Churches in Nordvik :
| Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
| Nordvik | Nordvik Church | Nordvik (north of Solfjellsjøen) | 1877 |
| Nordvik | Hæstad Chapel | Hestad | 1912 |

## Geography

The highest point in the municipality was the 855.1-metre (2,805 ft) tall mountain Dønnmannen, on the southern border with Herøy Municipality. Nordvik Municipality was primarily located on the southern part of the island of Dønna plus many smaller surrounding islands. It was located south of Dønnes Municipality and north of Herøy Municipality.

## Government

While it existed, Nordvik 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 Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

### Mayors

The mayor (Norwegian: ordfører) of Nordvik was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who held this position:
* 1917-1919: Hans Johnsen
* 1919-1925: Jens Norum
* 1925-1928: Johan Teigstad
* 1928-1931: Hans Mørch
* 1931-1934: Søren Bergfjord
* 1934-1937: Hans Mørch
* 1937-1945: Søren Bergfjord
* 1945-1945: Anton Solfjell
* 1946-1947: Arne Skar (Ap)
* 1948-1961: Fridtjof Leonhard Hjortdahl (H)

### Municipal council

The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Nordvik was made up of 17 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
Nordvik herredsstyre 1960–1961 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 3 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 14 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
| Note: On 1 January 1964, Nordvik Municipality became part of Dønna Municipality. |||
Nordvik herredsstyre 1956–1959 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 4 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 8 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nordvik herredsstyre 1952–1955 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 7 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 16 |
Nordvik herredsstyre 1948–1951 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 8 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 16 |
Nordvik herredsstyre 1945–1947 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 8 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 16 |
Nordvik herredsstyre 1938–1941* :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 3 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 9 |
| 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. |||