Øvrebø
Encyclopedia
Øvrebø is a rural district, a village, and a former municipality
in Vest-Agder
county
in Norway
. It is located in the present-day municipality of Vennesla
, situated about 25 km (15.5 mi) north-northwest of Kristiansand
.
Øvrebø's centre is the settlement of Skarpengland
, which houses, amongst other facilities, a bank, a post office, several stores, a motor repair shop, and a school. Øvrebø is known for the "Øvrebø ski", found at Mushom
and considered for many years to be Norway's oldest preserved ski
. It can be seen in the Holmenkollen Ski Museum
in Oslo
.
: Øfribœr), since the first church was built there. The first part of the name means "upper" and second part of the name is identical with the word bœr which means "farm
" and it is cognate with the Dutch language
word "boer" which means "farmer
". The name therefore means "the upper farm".
of Øvrebø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). It existed as a municipality until 1865, when the area of Vennesla
(population: 1,103) was separated to form a separate municipality. The remainder of the municipality became Øvrebø og Hægeland
. On 1 July 1896, Øvrebø og Hægeland was divided into two separate municipalities: Øvrebø (population: 888) and Hægeland
(population: 843). On 1 January 1964, the Eikeland area (population: 39) of Øvrebø was transferred to neighboring Songdalen
municipality, while the rest of Øvrebø (population: 925) was merged together with Hægeland and Vennesla to form a new, larger municipality of Vennesla.
Former municipalities of Norway
This is a list of former municipalities of Norway, i.e. municipalities that no longer exist.When the local council system was introduced in Norway in 1837-38, the country had 392 municipalities. In 1958 the number had grown to a total of 744 rural municipalities, 64 city municipalities as well as a...
in Vest-Agder
Vest-Agder
In the 16th century, Dutch merchant vessels began to visit ports in southern Norway to purchase salmon and other goods. Soon thereafter the export of timber began, as oak from southern Norway was exceptionally well suited for shipbuilding...
county
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is located in the present-day municipality of Vennesla
Vennesla
Vennesla is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. Vennesla was separated from Øvrebø in 1861. Øvrebø and Hægeland were merged with Vennesla again on 1 January 1964...
, situated about 25 km (15.5 mi) north-northwest of Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
.
Øvrebø's centre is the settlement of Skarpengland
Skarpengland
Skarpengland is a village in the municipality of Vennesla, Norway. Its population is 467. It was the administrative centre of the municipality Øvrebø before it was merged into Vennesla....
, which houses, amongst other facilities, a bank, a post office, several stores, a motor repair shop, and a school. Øvrebø is known for the "Øvrebø ski", found at Mushom
Mushom
Mushom is a small village in the municipality of Vennesla, Norway.The so-called "Øvrebø-ski" was found in a marsh at Mushom. For many years it was considered Norway's oldest preserved ski. Nowadays it can be seen in Holmenkollen Ski Museum, Oslo....
and considered for many years to be Norway's oldest preserved ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
. It can be seen in the Holmenkollen Ski Museum
Holmenkollen Ski Museum
Holmenkollen Ski Museum , located at the base of the Holmenkollen ski jump in Oslo, Norway, is the world's oldest ski museum, being founded in 1923....
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
.
Name
Øvrebø is named after the old Øvrebø farm (Old NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
: Øfribœr), since the first church was built there. The first part of the name means "upper" and second part of the name is identical with the word bœr which means "farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
" and it is cognate with the Dutch language
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
word "boer" which means "farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
". The name therefore means "the upper farm".
History
The parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Øvrebø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt was the name for a Norwegian local self-government districts put into force in 1838. This system of municipality was created in a bill approved by the Storting and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January 1837...
). It existed as a municipality until 1865, when the area of Vennesla
Vennesla
Vennesla is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. Vennesla was separated from Øvrebø in 1861. Øvrebø and Hægeland were merged with Vennesla again on 1 January 1964...
(population: 1,103) was separated to form a separate municipality. The remainder of the municipality became Øvrebø og Hægeland
Øvrebø og Hægeland
Øvrebø og Hægeland is a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Vennesla, just to the west of the Otra river.-Name:...
. On 1 July 1896, Øvrebø og Hægeland was divided into two separate municipalities: Øvrebø (population: 888) and Hægeland
Hægeland
Hægeland is a village and a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Vennesla, just west of the Kilefjorden.-Name:...
(population: 843). On 1 January 1964, the Eikeland area (population: 39) of Øvrebø was transferred to neighboring Songdalen
Songdalen
Songdalen is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. Songdalen was created as a new municipality on 1 January 1964 through the merger of the former municipalities of Finsland, Greipstad and a small part of Øvrebø. The administrative center is the village of Nodeland. The central market area...
municipality, while the rest of Øvrebø (population: 925) was merged together with Hægeland and Vennesla to form a new, larger municipality of Vennesla.