Nord-Fron

The prestegjeld of Fron was established as a civil municipality on 1 January 1838 when the new formannskapsdistrikt law was enacted. On 1 January 1851, the municipality was divided in two. The northwest portion became Nord-Fron Municipality (population: 4,685), and the southeast portion became Sør-Fron Municipality (population: 3,421).

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1965, the Sjoa area (population: 413) was transferred from Nord-Fron to the neighboring Sel Municipality. Then, on 1 January 1966, Nord-Fron Municipality (population: 5,758) and Sør-Fron Municipality (population: 3,648) were merged to form a new Fron Municipality (with similar borders to the old Fron municipality that existed from 1838 to 1851 minus the Sjoa area which was then part of Sel).

This merger was not well-liked among the residents of the new municipality. On 1 January 1977, the merger was reversed. Nord-Fron Municipality (population: 6,131) and Sør-Fron Municipality (population: 3,509) were recreated using their old borders from 1965.{{Cite web |last=Jukvam |first=Dag |year=1999 |title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen |url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |isbn=9788253746845}}

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Fron farm ({{langx|non|Frón}}) since the first Fron Church was built there. The first element is {{wikt-lang|non|nord}} which means "northern". The last element is uncertain, but it may come from the word {{wikt-lang|non|frón}}, which means "earth" or "land". Thus the name of the municipality is "(the) northern (part of) Fron" (since the parish of Fron was divided in 1851 into a "north" and a "south" part). Historically, it was called Nordre Fron, using another word that also means "north".{{Cite book |last=Rygh |first=Oluf |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DohBAAAAIAAJ |title=Norske gaardnavne: Kristians amt |publisher=W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri |year=1900 |edition=4 |location=Kristiania, Norge |pages=99 & 120 |language=no |author-link=Oluf Rygh}} Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Nordre Fron. On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Nord-Fron, using an alternate word for "north".{{Cite journal |year=1917 |title=Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1917. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m |url=https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2015102381014_001 |journal=Norsk Lovtidend |language=no |location=Kristiania, Norge |publisher=Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri |pages=1057–1065}} {{See also|Sør-Fron#Name}}

The coat of arms was granted on 18 July 1980. The official blazon is "Gules, a horse forcené Or" ({{langx|no|På raud botn ein oppreist gull hest}}). This means the arms have a red field (background), and the charge is a Dole Gudbrandsdal horse rearing up on its hind legs. The horse has a tincture of Or, which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The Fron area has a long-standing tradition in horse breeding and is one of the main centres of horse breeding in Norway. Historically, the old Fron municipality used unofficial arms with a horse on it. After Fron was divided into Nord- and Sør-Fron in 1977, Nord-Fron chose these arms. Hallvard Trætteberg designed the arms. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.{{Cite web |title=Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Nord-Fron |access-date=2023-04-17 |publisher=Heraldry of the World}}{{Cite web |title=Nord-Fron kommune, våpen |url=https://foto.digitalarkivet.no/fotoweb/archives/5003-Kommunev%C3%A5pen/Kart%20og%20tegninger%20og%20segl/he10071208070026.tif.info#c=%2Ffotoweb%2Farchives%2F5003-Kommunev%25C3%25A5pen%2F%3Fq%3Dnord-fron |access-date=2023-04-17 |website=Digitalarkivet}} {{See also-text|Coats of arms of Eid, Gloppen, Levanger, Lyngen, Skedsmo, and Ski}}

The Church of Norway has four parishes ({{lang|no|sokn}}) within the municipality of Nord-Fron. It is part of the Nord-Gudbrandsdal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar.

The Nord-Hoge farm in the Sødorp parish of Nord-Fron is the legendary home of Per Gynt. Per was made famous by Peter Asbjørnsen's folk tales and Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt.

The body of Captain Sinclair is buried in Kvam.

The small Kvam Church, built in 1775, was burned down during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany during World War II. It was rebuilt after the war.{{Cite book |last=Stagg |first=Frank Noel |url=https://archive.org/details/eastnorwayitsfro00stag |title=East Norway and its Frontier |publisher=George Allen & Unwin, Ltd. |year=1956}}

Nord-Fron is bordered to the northwest by Sel Municipality, to the east and south by Sør-Fron Municipality, in the south by Øystre Slidre Municipality, and to the southwest by Vågå Municipality. The municipality stretches from the Rondane mountains in the north to the Jotunheimen mountains in the southwest.

There are two main population centres in Nord-Fron: the town of Vinstra in the central part of the municipality and the village of Kvam in the north. Kvam is located at the northern end of the Peer Gynt Road, which passes through high roads with excellent views of the Jotunheimen, Dovrefjell, and Rondane mountain.{{Cite book |last=Welle-Strand |first=Erling |title=Adventure Roads in Norway |publisher=Nortrabooks |year=1996 |isbn=978-82-90103-71-7}}

Lakes in the area include Feforvatnet, Olstappen, Øyangen, and Sandvatnet/Kaldfjorden/Øyvatnet. Mountains in the region include Gravdalsknappen, Heimdalshøe, Hornflågene, Ingulssjøhøi, Saukampen, Sikkilsdalshøa, Styggehøe, and Smiubelgen.

Nord-Fron 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. A vote of the municipal council indirectly elects the mayor.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=kommunestyre |encyclopedia=Store norske leksikon |publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget |url=https://snl.no/kommunestyre |date=2022-09-20 |editor-last=Hansen |editor-first=Tore |language=Norwegian |editor2-last=Vabo |editor2-first=Signy Irene |accessdate=2022-10-14}} The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Vestre Innlandet District Court and the Eidsivating Court of Appeal.

The municipal council {{lang|no|(Kommunestyre)}} of Nord-Fron is made up of 25 representatives that are elected to four-year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

{{div col}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|start = 2023

|end = 2027

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Innlandet |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2023/ko/innlandet/nord-fron#seats |access-date=2024-01-12 |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}

|collapsed =

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 25

|Arbeiderpartiet = 11

|Fremskrittspartiet = 2

|Høyre = 3

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Rødt = 1

|Senterpartiet = 7

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|start = 2019

|end = 2023

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Innlandet |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2019/ko/innlandet/nord-fron#seats |access-date=2022-06-11 |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 25

|Arbeiderpartiet = 15

|Fremskrittspartiet = 1

|Høyre = 2

|Senterpartiet = 7

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|start = 2015

|end = 2019

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2015 - Oppland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2015/ko/oppland/nord-fron#seats |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}{{Cite web |title=Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/04813/ |publisher=Statistics Norway |language=Norwegian}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 25

|Arbeiderpartiet = 13

|Fremskrittspartiet = 1

|Høyre = 2

|Senterpartiet = 9

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|start = 2011

|end = 2015

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Oppland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2011/ko/oppland/nord-fron/#seats |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 25

|Arbeiderpartiet = 10

|Fremskrittspartiet = 1

|Høyre = 3

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 7

|Venstre = 3

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|start = 2007

|end = 2011

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 25

|Arbeiderpartiet = 12

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 7

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Venstre = 2

|Høyre = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|start = 2003

|end = 2007

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 25

|Arbeiderpartiet = 14

|Høyre = 2

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 6

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|start = 1999

|end = 2003

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 31

|Arbeiderpartiet = 20

|Høyre = 2

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Senterpartiet = 6

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|start = 1995

|end = 1999

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1996 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1995 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c342.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 31

|Arbeiderpartiet = 19

|Høyre = 2

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 8

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|start = 1991

|end = 1995

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1993 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1991 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c057.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 31

|Arbeiderpartiet = 17

|Høyre = 2

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 8

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|start = 1987

|end = 1991

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1988 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1987 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b765.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 31

|Arbeiderpartiet = 20

|Høyre = 3

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 5

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|start = 1983

|end = 1987

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1984 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1983 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b450.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 31

|Arbeiderpartiet = 21

|Høyre = 3

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 5

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|start = 1979

|end = 1983

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1979 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1979 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b093.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 31

|Arbeiderpartiet = 18

|Høyre = 4

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 6

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1

|Venstre = 1

|note = On 1 January 1977, Fron Municipality was divided into Nord-Fron and Sør-Fron municipalities (reversing the merger from 1 January 1966). A special election was held in 1976 for a new council that existed from 1977 to 1979.

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|start = 1963

|end = 1965

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1964 |title=Kommunevalgene 1963 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_138.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|note = On 1 January 1966, Nord-Fron and Sør-Fron were merged into Fron Municipality.

|Total = 25

|Arbeiderpartiet = 16

|Høyre = 1

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 6

|AFS = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|herad = yes

|start = 1959

|end = 1963

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1960 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_022.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 25

|Arbeiderpartiet = 15

|Høyre = 1

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Senterpartiet = 7

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|herad = yes

|start = 1955

|end = 1959

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1957 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_252.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 25

|Arbeiderpartiet = 16

|Høyre = 1

|Senterpartiet = 7

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|herad = yes

|start = 1951

|end = 1955

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1952 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_120.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 24

|Arbeiderpartiet = 15

|Borgerlige_Felleslister = 9

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|herad = yes

|start = 1947

|end = 1951

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1948 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_165.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 24

|Arbeiderpartiet = 15

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Borgerlige_Felleslister = 6

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|herad = yes

|start = 1945

|end = 1947

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1947 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_133.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 24

|Arbeiderpartiet = 15

|Senterpartiet = 7

|V/DRF = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Nord-Fron

|herad = yes

|start = 1937

|end = 1941*

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1938 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_133.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 24

|Senterpartiet = 8

|Arbeiderpartiet = 14

|V/DRF = 2

|}}

{{div col end}}

{{incomplete list|date=April 2023}}

The mayors of Nord-Fron (incomplete list):

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• 1894–1898: Ole Iversen Teige (V)
• 1902–1907: Ole Iversen Teige (V)
• 1945-1955: Albert Kvammen (Ap)
• 1956-1965: Paul Brenna (Ap)
• (1966-1977: part of Fron Municipality)
• 1977-1983: Tollef Beitrusten (Ap)
• 1984-2007: Gunnar Tore Stenseng (Ap)
• 2007-2011: Tove Haugli (Ap)
• 2011-2015: Olav Røssum (Sp)
• 2015–2021: Rune Støstad (Ap)
• 2021–present: Anne-Marie Olstad (Ap)

{{div col end}}

File:Rondane-Smiubelgen.jpg in Rondane National Park]]

The Royal Mountain Chalet, Prinsehytta, is located in the Sikkilsdalen valley in Nord-Fron. It is used as a royal residence by the Norwegian royal family for hunting trips and during the Easter and winter holidays.

The rock carvings at Eidefoss are located on the east side of the river south of the white water.{{Cite book |title=Insight Guides: Norway |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Company |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-395-81912-8 |editor-last=Taylor-Wilkie |editor-first=Doreen}}

• Rondane National Park, which lies partially in Nord-Fron, was the first Norwegian National Park, established on 21 December 1962. In 2003, Rondane National Park was enlarged, and smaller areas of nature protection were opened or enlarged.
• Jotunheim National Park is not technically in Nord-Fron, but its southern border brushes Nord-Fron's western border.

Nord-Fron has sister city agreements with the following places:{{Cite web |title=Vennskapskommunar |url=http://www.nord-fron.kommune.no/artikkel.aspx?MId1=1&AId=921&back=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006032454/https://www.nord-fron.kommune.no/artikkel.aspx?MId1=1&AId=921&back=1 |archive-date=2011-10-06 |access-date=2009-01-04 |publisher=Nord-Fron kommune |language=no}}

• {{flagicon|SWE}} - Hedemora, Dalarna County, Sweden
• {{flagicon|UK}} - Richmond, North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

File:M Stoltenberg-Ole Haagenstad.jpg

• Peder Per Veggum (1768 in Nord-Fron – 1836), a Norwegian artist and rose painter, a cabinet carpenter and woodcarver; associated with the decorative folk art of Rosemaling
• Ole Paulssøn Haagenstad (1775 in Fron – 1866), a Norwegian farmer and politician
• Jacob Smith Jarmann (1816 in Nord-Fron – 1894), a Norwegian firearms designer, invented the Jarmann M1884 rifle
• Hallstein Høgåsen (born 1937 in Nord-Fron), a Norwegian theoretical physicist, main field elementary particle physics
• Grete Berget (1954 in Vinstra – 2017), a Norwegian politician and journalist
• Geir Helgemo (born 1970 in Vinstra), a professional bridge player, Monaco resident
• Øystein Skar (born 1985 in Vinstra), a Norwegian pianist and composer

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Nord-Fron}}

{{wiktionary|Nord-Fron}}

• [http://ssb.no/kommunefakta/nord-fron Municipal fact sheet] from Statistics Norway {{in lang|no}}
• {{Wikivoyage inline|Innlandet}}

{{Innlandet}}

{{Authority control}}

{{use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}

Category:Gudbrandsdalen

Category:Municipalities of Innlandet

Category:1851 establishments in Norway

Category:1966 disestablishments in Norway

Category:1977 establishments in Norway