Misplaced Pages

Grane Municipality Grane kommune
Municipality
The entrance to North Norway on the E6 highway in southern Grane
FlagCoat of arms
Nordland within Norway
Grane within Nordland
Coordinates: 65°24′02″N 13°30′38″E / 65.40056°N 13.51056°E / 65.40056; 13.51056
Country	Norway
County	Nordland
District	Helgeland
Established	1 July 1927
• Preceded by	Vefsn Municipality
Administrative centre	Trofors
Government
• Mayor (2023)	Raymond Fagerli (Sp)
Area
• Total	2,004.11 km (773.79 sq mi)
• Land	1,881.43 km (726.42 sq mi)
• Water	122.68 km (47.37 sq mi)  6.1%
• Rank	#37 in Norway
Highest elevation	1,696.46 m (5,565.81 ft)
Population
• Total	1,447
• Rank	#304 in Norway
• Density	0.7/km (2/sq mi)
• Change (10 years)	−1.2%
Demonym	Graneværing
Official language
• Norwegian form	Neutral
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code	NO-1825
Website	Official website
Data from Statistics Norway

Grane is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Trofors. There are several other villages in the municipality including Fallmoen, Grane, Leiren, Majavatn, and Strendene. The European route E6 highway and the Nordland Line railway both run through the municipality from south to north.

The 2,004-square-kilometre (774 sq mi) municipality is the 37th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Grane is the 304th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,447. The municipality's population density is 0.7 inhabitants per square kilometre (1.8/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 1.2% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

The municipality of Grane was established on 1 July 1927 when it was separated from the large Vefsn Municipality. Initially, Grane Municipality had 1,746 residents. The municipal boundaries have not changed since then.

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Grane farm (spelled "Grane" in 1661), since the first Grane Church was built there in 1860. The name Grane is pronounced with a long a and short n, which is not palatalized. It is seemingly a simple and plain name, but many questions arise regarding both valid meanings for the word and the spoken forms it takes. The spoken form is most peculiar. It is distinct from other genuine old farm names in the area in that it is uninflected, with no definite form and consequently no distinct case (neither dative nor genitive). It is said short and crisp, regardless of what speech context it is found in.

It seems to be a farm name with a grammatical form presuming a standard only found among farms cleared in the Middle Ages, and likely around the 12th century. But the Grane farm was not cleared before the mid-17th century and there is nothing to suggest a prior settlement. Thus we find a basic disparity without any easy explanation. Farm names sometimes follow environmental descriptions given in the vernacular of the time, but it is quite difficult to see what environmental aspect would yield the name form of "Grane" in the speech of the 17th century.

One possible explanation is that those who cleared the farm around 1650 simply borrowed the name from another known place in the country. It is not doubtful that those who cleared the farm came from Åneset in what is now Vefsn Municipality. But this does not preclude the notion that the name may have its roots elsewhere. Sagas say it stems from Jämtland (Sweden). In Nord-Trøndelag there are three settlements for which one finds the farm name "Gran" (of course pronounced without the final 'e'). Outside the northern regions, the farm name is found only in Askvoll Municipality in Western Norway. The name of that farm is also written Grane, and the pronunciation () is exactly the same. But it is rather insensible that the name could have been borrowed from there.

Therefore, if the name actually is a local development in the Old Norse speech forms of the Middle Ages—there was surely quite a significant farm settlement in the central valleys of Vefsn before the Bubonic plague—it was unlikely to have been used as the name for a farm. Rather it would have had to have been so well entrenched in its ancient speech form that it held over from the times of pestilence and Black Death when settlers were reduced to meager numbers. This is possible, but still mere conjecture.

In the matter of the name's valid meaning, it is obvious to assume that it has its origins in the tree name grǫn which means "spruce". This should designate a place where spruces grow. This is an unlikely explanation for a name with local origins in the Middle Ages and makes little sense. Even though many spruces currently grow in that vicinity, recent pollen studies show that spruce forests came surprisingly late to that stretch of land. They were not present before the 13th to 14th centuries and it took several hundred years after that for spruce forest to proliferate in the Ner-Vefsn and Majavatnet settlements. Spruce trees were not likely characteristic of the Grane area in the Middle Ages.

Researchers into municipal naming practices have concluded that the stem 'gran', found in a series of names nationwide, cannot have its source in the environmental connection to spruce timber. At the root is certainly an Old Norse word which must have denoted something 'sharp', and which is now extant in only a few Norse dialects with traditional meanings. Used in a place name, the stem would probably signify 'something which protrudes up from the landscape.'

Another theory is that the name derives from the Southern Sámi word kråane, which means 'corner' or 'crook', referring to the bending and curving of the Vefsna river in the area. This is also the point where the river flowing westward from Hattfjelldal changes direction and turns north towards the Vefsnfjord.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 18 July 1980. The official blazon is "Argent, a salmon haurient azure" (Norwegian: På sølv bunn en springende blå laks). This means the arms have a field (background) that 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 charge is a leaping salmon. This was chosen as a symbol of the rich salmon rivers Vefsna and Svenningelva that run through the municipality. There are many small waterfalls where jumping salmon can be observed in the summer. The arms were designed by P. Lakfors.

Churches

The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within Grane Municipality. It is part of the Indre Helgeland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.

Geography

The municipality is located in the southern part of Nordland county, along the border with Trøndelag county. Grane includes many lakes including Fiskelausvatnet, Gåsvatnet, Jengelvatnet, Majavatnet, Mellingsvatnet, Nedre Fiplingvatnet, Sefrivatnet, and Storsvenningvatnet. The main river Vefsna also runs through the valley. There are two national parks that are partially located in Grane: Børgefjell National Park and Lomsdal–Visten National Park. The highest point in the municipality is the 1,696.46-metre (5,565.8 ft) tall mountain Kvigtinden.

Government

Grane 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. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Helgeland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Grane is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors

The mayor (Norwegian: ordfører) of Grane 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:

• 1927-1928: Aksel Valberg
• 1929-1931: Adolf Abel (Ap)
• 1931-1934: John Granviken
• 1935-1939: Jens Årøen (Ap)
• 1939-1941: Petter Granmo (Ap)
• 1941-1942: Odd Caroliussen
• 1943-1945: Peter Ludvig Haugen (NS)
• 1945-1945: Petter Granmo (Ap)
• 1946-1955: Ole Danielsen (Ap)
• 1955-1958: Petter Granmo (Ap)
• 1958-1963: Asbjørn Stordal (Ap)
• 1963-1967: Henry Tvedt (Ap)
• 1967-1975: Bjørn Bogfjellmo (Ap)
• 1975-1999: Trond Brennhaug (Ap)
• 1999-2003: Kolbjørn Eriksen (Sp)
• 2003-2019: Bjørn Ivar Lamo (Ap)
• 2019–2023: Ellen Schjølberg (Sp)
• 2023–present: Raymond Fagerli (Sp)

Notable people

• Gustav Kappfjell (born 1913 in Majavatn – 1999), a Southern Sámi reindeer herder, hunter, farmer, poet, and joiker
• Marcus & Martinus (born 2002 in Elverum), a Norwegian pop-duo made up of twins brothers Marcus and Martinus Gunnarsen.

References

1. ^ "Høgaste fjelltopp i kvar kommune" (in Norwegian). Kartverket. 16 January 2024.
2. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
3. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
4. Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
5. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
6. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
7. Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
8. "Vil rive "Porten til Nord-Norge": – Skaper et kunstig skille mellom nord og resten av landet". 5 October 2020.
9. "Grane". 2 July 2021.
10. Jacobsen, Kjell (1990). Gårdshistorie for Grane G.nr. 34-48. Vefsn Bygdebok, særbind IIIa (in Norwegian). Mosjøen: Vefsn Bygdeboknemnd.
11. Rygh, Oluf (1905). Norske gaardnavne: Nordlands amt (in Norwegian) (16 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 69.
12. "Nedtedigibaakoeh - Digibaakoeh gaskeviermesne".
13. "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
14. "Grane kommune, våpen". Digitalarkivet (in Norwegian). Arkivverket. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
15. Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
16. "Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
17. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
18. ^ "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
19. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
20. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
21. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
22. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
23. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
24. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
25. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
26. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
27. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
28. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
29. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
30. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
31. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
32. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
33. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
34. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
35. Fiva, Jon H; Sørensen, Rune J.; Vøllo, Reidar, eds. (2024). "Local Candidate Dataset" (PDF).
36. "Ordførervalg i de nye Vefsnherreder". Lofotposten (in Norwegian). 9 June 1927. p. 2. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
37. "Ordførervalgene i Nordland fylke". Nordlandsposten (in Norwegian). 7 January 1929. p. 1. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
38. "Ordførervalg". Nordlands Avis (in Norwegian). 30 December 1931. p. 3. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
39. "De nye ordførere i Nordland fylke". Nordlandsposten (in Norwegian). 18 February 1935. p. 2. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
40. "Ordførervalg i Grane". Helgeland Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). 7 January 1939. p. 3. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
41. "De nye ordførere og varaordførere i Nordland opnevnt". Lofotposten (in Norwegian). 16 January 1941. pp. 1 & 6. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
42. "Nye ordførere og varaordførere i Nordland fylke". Nordlandsposten (in Norwegian). 5 January 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
43. "De nye, midlertidige ordførere i Nordland og Troms". Lofotposten (in Norwegian). 14 May 1945. p. 6. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
44. "Ole Danielsen, Majavatn, ny ordfører i Grane". Helgeland Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). 29 December 1945. p. 3. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
45. "Nye ordførere". Nordlands Avis (in Norwegian). 23 December 1955. p. 2. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
46. "Asbjørn Stordal ny ordfører i Grane". Helgeland Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). 18 December 1957. p. 5. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
47. "Ny ordfører i Grane". Nordlands Avis (in Norwegian). 17 December 1963. p. 2. Retrieved 26 October 2024.

External links

• Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway (in Norwegian)

• Definitions from Wiktionary
• Media from Commons
• Travel guides from Wikivoyage
• Data from Wikidata

v t e Nordland county, Norway
Main article: Nordland Capital: Bodø County government: Nordland County Municipality County lists: County Governors Villages Churches
	Towns and cities	Bodø (1816) Mosjøen (1875–1961, 1998) Narvik (1902) Svolvær (1918-1964, 1996) Mo i Rana (1923–1963, 1997) Brønnøysund (1923–1963, 2000) Sortland (1997) Fauske (1998) Sandnessjøen (1999) Stokmarknes (2000) Leknes (2002)
	Municipalities	Helgeland Alstahaug Bindal Brønnøy Dønna Grane Hattfjelldal Hemnes Herøy Leirfjord Lurøy Nesna Rana Rødøy Sømna Træna Vefsn Vega Vevelstad Lofoten Flakstad Moskenes Røst Vestvågøy Værøy Vågan Ofoten Evenes Lødingen Narvik Salten Beiarn Bodø Fauske Gildeskål Hamarøy Meløy Saltdal Steigen Sørfold Vesterålen Andøy Bø Hadsel Sortland Øksnes
	Former Municipalities in Nordland Andenes (1924-1964) Ankenes (1884-1974) Ballangen (1925-2020) Bjørnskinn (1924-1964) Bodin (1838-1968) Borge (1838-1963) Brønnøysund (1923-1964) Buksnes (1838-1963) Drevja (1927-1962) Dverberg (1838-1964) Dønnes (1888-1962) Elsfjord (1929-1962) Folden (1838-1887) Gimsøy (1856-1964) Hol (1919-1963) Kjerringøy (1906-1964) Korgen (1918-1964) Langenes (1919-1964) Leiranger (1900-1964) Mo (1923-1964) Mosjøen (1875-1961) Nord-Rana (1839-1964) Nordfold (1906-1964) Nordfolden-Kjerringø (1887-1906) Nordvik (1917-1962) Ofoten (1838-1884) Stamnes-Sandnessjøen (1899-1965) Skjerstad (1838-1905) Svolvær (1918-1964) Sør-Rana (1929-1964) Tjeldsund (switched to Troms county in 2020) Tjøtta (1862-1965) Tysfjord (1869-2020) Valberg (1927-1963) Velfjord (1875-1964)

• Grane, Nordland
• Municipalities of Nordland
• Valleys of Nordland
• 1927 establishments in Norway
• Populated places established in 1927