Østre Toten Municipality
Template:Short description Template:Infobox kommune
Østre Toten is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Toten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lena. Other villages in the municipality include Kapp, Kolbu, Kraby, Lensbygda, Nordlia, Skreia, and Sletta.
The Template:Convert municipality is the 192nd largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Østre Toten Municipality is the 85th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 14,827. The municipality's population density is Template:Convert and its population has increased by 0.4% over the previous 10-year period.<ref name="ssb pop">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ssb area">Template:Cite web</ref>
General information
The parish of Østre Toten was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 January 1875, there was a minor border change between Vestre Toten Municipality and Østre Toten Municipality. On 1 January 1896, a small area of Østre Toten Municipality (population: 49) was transferred to the neighboring Vardal Municipality.<ref name="Dag">Template:Cite web</ref>
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the neighboring Kolbu Municipality (population: 2,909) was merged with Østre Toten Municipality to form a new, larger Østre Toten Municipality.<ref name="Dag" />
Historically, this municipality was part of the old Oppland county. On 1 January 2020, the municipality became a part of the newly-formed Innlandet county (after Hedmark and Oppland counties were merged).<ref>Template:Cite SNL</ref>
Etymology
The municipality is named Østre Toten after the district of Toten (Template:Langx). The name is identical with the word Template:Lang which has an uncertain meaning, but it might be from the word Template:Lang which means "the pleasant district" or "something one likes". The parish of Toten was divided into two parts (eastern and western) in 1825 and the first word, Template:Wikt-lang was added to signify that this was the "eastern" part, thus the name was Østre Toten which means "(the) eastern (part of) Toten".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Template:See also
Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 27 March 1987. The official blazon is "Vert, a potato plant argent" (Template:Langx). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is a potato plant. The potato plant has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The green color in the field symbolizes the importance of agriculture in the municipality and the potato was chosen since that is a particularly important crop that is grown in the municipality. The arms were designed by Arne Løvstand. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Churches
The Church of Norway has five parishes (Template:Lang) within Østre Toten Municipality. It is part of the Toten prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar.
| Parish (Template:Lang) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balke | Balke Church | Skreia | 1170 |
| Totenviken Church | Totenvika | 1896 | |
| Hoff | Hoff Church | Kraby | c. 1175 |
| Kapp | Kapp Church | Kapp | 1939 |
| Kolbu | Kolbu Church | Kolbu | 1730 |
| Nordlien | Nordlien Church | Nordlia | 1901 |
Geography
Østre Toten Municipality is bordered to the west by Vestre Toten Municipality, to the northwest by Gjøvik Municipality, to the northeast (across lake Mjøsa) by Ringsaker Municipality, to the east (across the lake) by Stange Municipality, to the southeast by Eidsvoll Municipality (in Akershus county), and to the south by Hurdal Municipality (also in Akershus county). The highest point in the municipality is the Template:Convert tall mountain Torsæterkampen.<ref name="elev" />
Settlement in Østre Toten Municipality is predominantly dispersed. In January 2015, 42.6% of the population lived in areas defined as urban settlements by Statistics Norway,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> compared to 81% for Norway as a whole.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The urban settlements in Østre Toten are Kapp, Kolbu, Lena, Lensbygda, Nordlia, Skreia, and Sletta.
History
| Ancestry | Number |
|---|---|
| Template:Flag | 375 |
| Template:Flag | 194 |
| Template:Flag | 76 |
| Template:Flag | 62 |
| Template:Flag | 47 |
| Template:Flag | 46 |
| Template:Flag | 46 |
| Template:Flag | 44 |
| Template:Flag | 42 |
| Template:Flag | 36 |
According to the sagas, Halfdan Hvitbeinn (Whiteleg) was the first Yngling in Norway. He conquered Romerike, part of Hedmark, part of Vestfold, and Toten. He was killed in Toten around the year 740.<ref name="Stagg">Template:Cite book</ref>
In 1021, according to saga, King Olaf (reigned 1015–1028) converted Toten to Christianity. Also, King Håkon IV (reigned 1217–1263) came to Toten around the year 1226 to settle local unrest.<ref name="Stagg" />
Christian II (1481–1559) was a Danish monarch and King of Denmark and Norway from 1513–1523 and also the King of Sweden from 1520–1521, under the Kalmar Union. Prior to becoming king, Duke Christian was sent to Norway in 1506 by John II (also called Hans), King of Norway (1483–1513) to take charge of the kingdom. In 1507, he became aware of a revolt in Hedmark. In early 1508, he took a force there, routing the rebellion. He then rowed across lake Mjøsa to Toten, capturing residents, imprisoning them in the vaulted cellar of the rectory in Østre Toten and torturing them there. As a result, he determined that Bishop Karl of Hamar had been behind the rebellion. With Bishop Karl as his captive, he was able to suppress the unrest.<ref name="Stagg" />
Toten was a part of Akershus county until 1756, when it became part of Christians county. Lauritz Weidemann, Corporal Peder Balke, and Niels Dyhren from Toten attended the 1814 constitutional convention at Eidsvold.<ref name="Stagg" />
Government
Østre Toten Municipality is 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 is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.<ref name="ks">Template:Cite SNL</ref> The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Vestoppland og Valdres District Court and the Eidsivating Court of Appeal.
Municipal council
The municipal council Template:Lang of Østre Toten Municipality is made up of 29 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party. Template:Div col Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Div col end
Mayors
The mayor (Template:Langx) of Østre Toten Municipality is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Mjøsmuseet">Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Div col
- 1838–1847: Peder Fauchald
- 1848–1849: Ole Larsen Hammerstad
- 1850–1856: Peder Fauchald
- 1856–1861: Ole Larsen Hammerstad
- 1862–1865: Jacob Brager
- 1866–1869: Hans Henrik Thaulow Borchgrevink
- 1870–1871: Ole Larsen Hammerstad
- 1872–1875: Carl Schjøll
- 1876–1877: Hans Laurits O. Hammerstad
- 1878–1893: Martin Adolf Andersen
- 1894–1897: Peder Madsen Wang
- 1898–1907: Adolf Rogneby
- 1908–1910: Peder Madsen Wang (LL)
- 1911–1913: Even Fodstad (LL)
- 1914–1922: Ole Weflen (AD)
- 1923–1925: Kristian Ørud (Bp)
- 1926–1928: Even Fodstad (Bp)
- 1929–1931: Ole Aass (Bp)
- 1932–1934: Ole Festad (Bp)
- 1935–1940: Einar Hermanrud (Ap)
- 1941–1943: Hans Rognerud (NS)
- 1943–1945: Nils Lundbæk (NS)
- 1945–1945: Per Gjestvang (NS)
- 1945–1967: Einar Hermanrud (Ap)
- 1968–1975: Fredrik Bredli (Ap)
- 1976–1983: Johan Nygaard (Ap)
- 1984–1991: Helge Røragen (Ap)
- 1992–1995: Hans Bjerregård (Ap)
- 1996–2003: Tor Finstad (Sp)
- 2004–2015: Hans Seierstad (Sp)
- 2015–2019: Guri Bråthen (Ap)
- 2019–present: Bror Helgestad (Sp)
Climate
Østre Toten has a subarctic climate (Dfc). It is very close to a continental climate as September averages Template:Convert and May averages Template:Convert. Summer is the wettest time of year and winters are cold and snowy.
Economy
Østre Toten Municipality is one of the Innlandet county's most productive farming municipalities. Østre Toten is Norway's largest producers of potatoes and onions. This is reflected in the municipality's coat of arms, which displays a potato plant. The KiMs factory (which produces potato chips) is located at Skreia.
Attractions
Among the town's most notable landmarks are the old Hoff Church and the rock carvings at Glemmestad near Kapp, now displayed in the Toten Museum.
Notable people
Public Service
- Ole Hannibal Sommerfelt (1753 at Sukkestad – 1821), a jurist, civil servant, and topographer
- Lauritz Weidemann (1775 in Sukkestad – 1856), a Norwegian judge, civil servant, and politician
- Niels Fredriksen Dyhren (1778 in Østre Toten – 1866) & Peder Paulsen Balke (1779 in Østre Toten –1840), farmers, non-commissioner military officers and representatives at the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly
- Eduard Bøckmann (1849 in Østre Toten – 1927), a Norwegian-American ophthalmologist and physician
- E. W. Everson (1857 in Hveem - 1931), a pioneer homesteader in Dakota Territory
- Kristian Ørud (1878 at Skjefstad – 1946), a farmer and Mayor of Østre Toten in the 1920s
- twins Adolf Bredo Stabell (1908 in Kolbu – 1996), a Norwegian diplomat & Peter Platou Stabell (1908 in Kolbu – 1992), a Norwegian barrister.
- Atle Ørbeck Sørheim (born 1933 in Østre Toten), a veterinarian and civil servant<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The Arts
- Peder Balke (1804–1887), a painter of romantic and dramatic landscapes, lived in Toten
- Marie Wexelsen (1832 in Østre Toten – 1911), an educator, poet, children's writer, and novelist
- Leif Solberg (1914 in Lena – 2016), a classical composer and organist
- Margit Sandemo (1924 in Lena – 2018), a Norwegian-Swedish historical fantasy author
- Svein Erik Brodal (born 1939 in Østre Toten), an actor, theatre director, novelist and politician<ref>Template:IMDb name. Retrieved 10 February 2021.</ref>
- Einar Steen-Nøkleberg (1944 in Østre Toten), a classical pianist and musical pedagogue
- Inger Lise Rypdal (born 1949 in Lena), a singer and actress<ref>Template:IMDb name. Retrieved 06 February 2021.</ref>
- Maj Britt Andersen (born 1956 in Østre Toten), a singer
- Eldar Vågan (born 1960 in Kapp), a songwriter and guitarist in Vazelina Bilopphøggers
- Knut Anders Sørum (born 1976 in Østre Toten), a singer at the Eurovision Song Contest 2004
Sport
- Alv Gjestvang (1937 in Østre Toten − 2016), a speed skater, bronze and silver medallist at the 1956 & 1964 Winter Olympics
- Arne Senstad (born 1969 in Kapp), a professional handball coach
- Ruben Gabrielsen (born 1992 in Lena), a professional footballer with over 200 club caps
Sister cities
Østre Toten has sister city agreements with the following places:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon – Jammerbugt, Region Nordjylland, Denmark
- Template:Flagicon – Kesälahti, Itä-Suomi, Finland
- Template:Flagicon – Rättvik, Dalarna County, Sweden
References
External links
Template:Use dmy dates Template:Sister bar Template:Geographic location Template:Innlandet Template:Authority control