Kjerringøy (municipality)

Kjerringøy is a former municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1906 until its dissolution in 1964. The municipality included the coastal and island areas around the entrance to the Folda fjord, plus the northern coast of the Mistfjorden to the south of the Folda fjord. About 400 small islands totaling about were part of the municipality. The areas are located in what is now Bodø Municipality and a small part in Steigen Municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Kjerringøy where Kjerringøy Church is located. The municipality of Kjerringøy was established on 1 January 1906 when the old municipality of Nordfold-Kjerringøy was split into Kjerringøy (population: 857) and Nordfold (population: 1,485). During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the municipality of Kjerringøy ceased to exist. Most of Kjerringøy (population: 524) was incorporated into the municipality of Bodin, its neighbor to the south. The Brennsund district north of the Folda fjord (population: 30), was incorporated into Steigen Municipality. Prior to the merger Kjerringøy had a population of 574. Later, on 1 January 1968, Bodin (including most of Kjerringøy) was incorporated into the Bodø Municipality. The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Kjerringøy farm (Kerlingarøy) since the first Kjerringøy Church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of kerling which means "of the old woman", probably meaning that the land was once owned by a widow. The last element is øy which means "island". While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elected a mayor.