title: Stjørdalen (municipality)
text: # Stjørdalen (municipality)
  
  Stjørdalen is a former municipality in the old Nordre Trondhjem county in Norway. The 2,253-square-kilometre (870 sq mi) municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1850. The municipality covered the whole Stjørdalen valley in what is now the municipalities of Stjørdal and Meråker in Trøndelag county. The administrative centre was located at Værnes where Værnes Church is located.
  
  ## History
  
  The municipality of Stjørdalen was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). In 1850, the municipality of Stjørdalen was divided into Øvre Stjørdal (population: 5,100) and Nedre Stjørdal (population: 6,543).
  
  ### Name
  
  The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Stjørdalen valley (Old Norse: Stjórardalr). The first element is the genitive case of the local river name Stjór (now called the Stjørdalselva river). The meaning of the river name is unknown. The last element is dalr which means "valley" or "dale".
  
  ## Government
  
  During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elected a mayor.
  
  ### Mayors
  
  The mayors of Stjørdalen:
  
  * 1838–1841: Tobias Brodtkorb Bernhoft
  * 1842–1843: Halvor Bachke
  * 1844–1845: Ole Øvre Richter
  * 1846–1849: Sivert Andreas Fergstad
  