# Orkanger Municipality

Orkanger is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The 6.64-square-kilometre (2.56 sq mi) municipality existed from 1920 until its dissolution in 1963. The area is now part of Orkland Municipality in the traditional district of Orkdalen. The administrative centre was the village of Orkanger. The municipality also included the Thamshavn industrial area.
Prior to its dissolution in 1963, the 6.64-square-kilometre (2.56 sq mi) municipality was the 661st largest by area out of the 705 municipalities in Norway. Orkanger Municipality was the 315th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 2,910. The municipality's population density was 438.3 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,135/sq mi) and its population had increased by 8.3% over the previous 10-year period.

## General information

The area made up of the village of Orkdalsøra and the port of Thamshavn was established as Orkanger Municipality on 1 July 1920 when the large Orkdal Municipality was divided into three smaller municipalities: the northern urban port area (population: 1,715) became Orkanger Municipality, the southern part (population: 1,760) became Orkland Municipality, and the central area (population: 3,045) remained as Orkdal Municipality. Orkanger Municipality encompassed the 6.64-square-kilometre (2.56 sq mi) urban area and some of the surrounding countryside. It included an important port, but it did not have the designation of a town at that time.
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1963, Orkanger Municipality (population: 2,874) was merged with Orkdal Municipality (population: 4,152), Orkland Municipality (population: 1,707), and Geitastrand Municipality (population: 559) to form a new, larger Orkdal Municipality.

### Name

The municipality was named "Orkanger". The first element is Ork, which stems from the lake Orkelsjøen from which the river Orkla runs. The meaning of the name is of the lake and river is not certain. The last element is angr which means "inlet" or "small fjord".

### Churches

The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within Orkanger Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Orkdal prestegjeld and the Orkdal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nidaros.
Churches in Orkanger :
| Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
| Orkanger | Orkanger Church | Orkanger | 1892 |

## Geography

The municipality was located in the Orkdalen valley where the river Orkla empties into the Orkdalsfjorden. It was located about 35 kilometres (22 mi) southwest of the city of Trondheim. Børsa Municipality was located to the east and Orkdal Municipality was located to the south and west. The highest point in the municipality was the 406-metre (1,332 ft) tall mountain Hovshaugen, near the border with Børsa Municipality.

## Transportation

Just north of the village of Orkanger, the port of Thamshavn was located. Orkanger village had a station on the Thamshavn Line railway with the Thamshavn Station just north of the village. Between 1908 and 1949 there was a steam ship service to Trondheim on the SS Orkla.

## Government

While it existed, Orkanger 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 Frostating Court of Appeal.

### Municipal council

The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Orkanger was made up of representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
Orkanger herredsstyre 1959–1963 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 12 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 2 |
| | Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 5 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 21 |
| Note: On 1 January 1963, Orkanger Municipality became part of Orkdal Municipality. |||
Orkanger herredsstyre 1955–1959 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 13 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 2 |
| | Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 3 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 21 |
Orkanger herredsstyre 1951–1955 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 11 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 2 |
| | Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 3 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 20 |
Orkanger herredsstyre 1947–1951 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 |
| | Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 5 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 5 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 20 |
Orkanger herredsstyre 1945–1947 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 |
| | Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 6 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 20 |
Orkanger herredsstyre 1937–1941* :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 12 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 1 |
| | Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 3 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 20 |
| 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 mayor (Norwegian: ordfører) of Orkanger was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who held this position:
* 1920–1925: Christian Togstad (Ap)
* 1926–1928: Martin Svebstad (Ap)
* 1929–1931: Ole Axelsen Moe Richter (V)
* 1932–1937: Oldus Larsen (Ap)
* 1938–1941: Asgeir Jørum (Ap)
* 1941–1945: Emil Carlsen (NS)
* 1945–1945: Asgeir Jørum (Ap)
* 1946–1955: Ole Monsen (Ap)
* 1956–1962: Sverre Solligård (Ap)