Prior to its dissolution in 1964, the 33.5-square-kilometre (12.9sqmi) municipality was the 608th largest by area out of the 689 municipalities in Norway. Kvernes Municipality was the 657th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 699. The municipality's population density was 20.9 inhabitants per square kilometre (54/sqmi) and its population had decreased by 7.7% over the previous 10-year period.[7][8]
The municipality of Kværnes was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). According to the 1835 census, the municipality initially had a population of about 3,754.[9] On 1 January 1878, a small area in the western part of Bud Municipality (population: 15) was transferred to Kvernes Municipality. Then again on 1 January 1891, the Bollien farm (population: 15) was transferred from Bud Municipality to Kvernes Municipality. On 1 September 1893, parts of Kvernes Municipality (population: 477) along with parts of Frei Municipality and Øre Municipality were used to create the new Gjemnes Municipality.[6][10]
On 1 January 1897, the large Kvernes Municipality was divided into four new municipalities: Eide Municipality (population: 1,552) in the west, Kornstad Municipality (population: 1,599) in the central part, Bremsnes Municipality (population: 2,917) in the north, and (a much smaller) Kvernes Municipality (population: 857) in the southeast. On 8 July 1903, an uninhabited area of Bremsnes Municipality was transferred over to Kvernes Municipality.[10]
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Kvernes farm (Old Norse: Hverfnes) since the first Kvernes Church was built there. The first element is hverfa which means "turn", "swing", or "disappear out of sight". The last element is nes which means "headland". The name is likely referring to the fact that this place is located on a headland on the southeast part of the island of Averøya, where the fjord takes a roughly ninety-degree turn as it passes around the island.[11]
The municipal council(Herredsstyre) of Kvernes 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.
The mayor (Norwegian: ordfører) of Kvernes Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:[19]
1838–1843: Rev. Peder Christian Tyrholm Holtermann[19]
↑Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (25 November 2024). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
