Sogndal is a former municipality and small seaport (ladested) in Rogaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1845 until its dissolution in 1944. The area is now part of Sokndal Municipality in the traditional district of Dalane. The administrative centre was the village of Sogndalsstranda. The small municipality was composed of two small neighboring harbor villages: the Sogndalsstranda and the Rægefjord. The river Sogndalselva reaches the ocean at Sogndalsstranda.
History The seaport village of Sogndalsstranda was built up around the Kjelland farm (historically spelled Kielland). The farm (named after a spring (kilde) situated there) was owned by the Kielland family, from which Alexander Kielland descended. This family left Sogndal in 1751 and established a successful firm in Stavanger. The Kielland farm can still be found there. As is typical of older records, this farm is listed in historical records under a number of phonetically similar names: Kollandt in 1563, Kieldeland in 1567, Kuelandt in 1567, Tielland in 1610, Kielland in 1616, Kiedland in 1668 and finally fixing on Kielland since 1723.
The villages of Sogndalsstranda and Rægestad are located near each other and together they were granted ladested rights in 1798. Together, this ladested was called Sogndal (historically spelled "Soggendahl"). This status gave them a monopoly on import and export of goods and materials in the port and in the surrounding district.
On 1 January 1838, all of Norway was divided up into municipalities according to the formannskapsdistrikt law. The ladested of Sogndal was put into Sokndal Municipality. In 1845, the ladested of Sogndal was separated from Sokndal Municipality to become a separate municipality of its own. Initially, Sogndal ladested had a population of 348 while the rural Sokndal Municipality that surrounded it had a population of 2,819. In 1875, the population of Sogndal ladested had grown to 526, but decreased to 473 in 1885. On 1 July 1944, Sogndal ladested was merged back together with Sokndal Municipality, losing its small seaport status. Prior to the merger, Sogndal ladested had a population of 311.
Name The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Soknedalen valley () since the first Sokndal Church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of the river name Sókn (now Sokno). That river name is derived from the verb which means "to seek" or "to strive for". The last element is which means "valley" or "dale". Thus, the meaning is "the valley with the river which seeks (finds/forces) its way". Before 1918, the name was written "Sogndal" or "Soggendahl". This municipality was a ladested called Sogndal ladested, but it was surrounded by a rural municipality with the same name called Sogndal herred.
Geography The small seaport municipality was located along the North Sea coast, completely surrounded by Sokndal Municipality. The two parts of the municipality were not contiguous and separated by the rural Sokndal Municipality. The highest point in the municipality was the tall mountain Stora Skaråsfjellet, located on the border of Sokndal Municipality.
Government While it existed, Sogndal 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 Dalane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.
Municipal council The municipal council of Sogndal Municipality was made up of 12 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
Mayors The mayor () of Sogndal ladested was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:
1858–1858: Tønnes W. Fredrichsen 1859–1861: D. Mydland 1862–1863: Christian Herlofsen 1864–1865: Eilert Dahl Rægeland 1866–1866: Christian Herlofsen 1867–1870: G. Bie 1871–1871: Johan F. Fredrichsen 1872–1872: Richard L.S. Jansen 1873–1873: Tobias Larsen Mydland 1874–1875: Richard L.S. Jansen 1876–1876: Johan F. Fredrichsen 1877–1879: Christian Herlofsen 1880–1880: Tobias Larsen Mydland 1881–1883: Christian Herlofsen 1884–1887: Fredrik Berntsen 1888–1888: Tobias Larsen Mydland 1889–1889: Fl. Fredrichsen 1890–1893: Jens Rostad 1894–1894: C.G. Eia 1895–1895: Tobias Larson Mydland 1896–1906: Oscar Smith 1907–1907: Tollak Årstad 1908–1910: Oscar Smith 1911–1913: O.M. Horneland 1914–1915: B. Mysse 1916–1916: Elias Frøiland 1917–1939: O.M. Horneland 1939–1944: Marcelius Skordal
See also List of former municipalities of Norway
References