Konsmo is a former municipality in the old Vest-Agder county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1911 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Lyngdal Municipality in the traditional district of Lister in Agder county. The administrative centre was the village of Konsmo where Konsmo Church is located.
Prior to its dissolution in 1963, the municipality was the 505th largest by area out of the 689 municipalities in Norway. Konsmo Municipality was the 655th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about . The municipality's population density was and its population had decreased by 17.4% over the previous 10-year period.
General information The municipality of Konsmo was established on 1 January 1911 when the old Nordre Undal Municipality was divided into two municipalities: the northern district (population: 782) became the new Konsmo Municipality and the southern district (population: 923) became the new Vigmostad Municipality.
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Konsmo Municipality was dissolved and the following areas were merged to form the new Audnedal Municipality: all of Grindheim Municipality (population: 701) all of Konsmo Municipality (population: 712) the Ågedal and Midtbø areas of Bjelland Municipality (population: 96)
Name The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Konsmo farm () since the first Konsmo Church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of which means "king". The last element is which means "moorland" or "heath". This name in modern Norwegian would be Kongsmoen, meaning "King's moor". Over time, the name was corrupted to Konsmo.
Churches The Church of Norway had one parish () within Konsmo Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Nord-Audnedal prestegjeld and the Mandal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder.
Churches in Konsmo MunicipalityParish ()Church nameLocation of the churchYear builtKonsmoKonsmo ChurchKonsmo1802
Geography The highest point in the municipality was the tall mountain Feiåsbergan, on the border with Hægebostad Municipality. Grindheim Municipality was located to the north, Bjelland Municipality was located to the northeast, Laudal Municipality was located to the east, Vigmostad Municipality was located to the south, Kvås Municipality was located to the southwest, and Hægebostad Municipality was located to the west.
Government While it existed, Konsmo 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 Mandal District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.
Municipal council The municipal council of Konsmo Municipality was made up of 13 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 Konsmo Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:
1911–1916: Ånen Olsen Vivlemo 1917–1922: T.A. Øidne 1923–1931: Ånen Valand 1932–1937: T.A. Øidne 1938–1945: John K. Gislefos 1946–1947: C.G. Påhlmann 1948–1951: Bergtor Strisland 1952–1955: John K. Gislefos 1956–1959: Aanen B. Birkeland 1960–1963: John K. Gislefos
See also List of former municipalities of Norway
References