Surhuisterveen ( fry, Surhústerfean) is the largest of the 12 villages of the municipality of

Achtkarspelen Achtkarspelen () is a municipality in Friesland in the northern Netherlands. History The name ''Achtkarspelen'', literally meaning "eight parishes", is derived from the original eight parishes within the ''grietenij'', namely: Augustinusga, Buite ...

, in the province of

Friesland Friesland (, ; official fry, Fryslân ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of ...

, the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. As of 1 January 2017, Surhuisterveen had a population of 5,929.

General information

The village was first mentioned in 1603 as Surhustera feen. Surhuisterveen began to develop at the end of the 16th century as peat-excavators and boatmen built their homes in the area. The name Surhuisterveen refers to the time of the

peat Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially Decomposition, decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, Moorland, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and ...

-colonies, and means "the peat-bogs of

Surhuizum Surhuizum ( fry, Surhuzum) is a village in Achtkarspelen Achtkarspelen () is a municipality in Friesland in the northern Netherlands. History The name ''Achtkarspelen'', literally meaning "eight parishes", is derived from the original eight par ...

". The earliest settlers were mainly

Mennonites Mennonites are groups of Anabaptist Christian church communities of denominations. The name is derived from the founder of the movement, Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland. Through his writings about Reformed Christianity during the Radic ...

. Surhuizum is another constituent village of Achtkarspelen, which is significantly smaller, but also significantly older than Surhuisterveen. After World War II, Surhuisterveen became a regional centre with an emphasis on retail. The Protestant Church was built in 1685. The Mennonite Church dates from 1801. The

grist mill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separat ...

Koartwâld or Feanstermoune was built in 1864. In 1907, an electro motor was installed. The

windmill sail Windmills are powered by their sails. Sails are found in different designs, from primitive common sails to the advanced patent sails. Jib sails The jib sail is found in Mediterranean countries and consists of a simple triangle of cloth wound rou ...

was damaged during a storm in 1946, and not repaired. The wind mill started to become a derelict, and only a ruin remained. In 1990, a restoration project started, and the wind mill was recommissioned in 1995. Surhuisterveen was home to 1,289 people in 1840. The

Centrumcross Surhuisterveen The Centrumcross Surhuisterveen is a cyclo-cross race held in Surhuisterveen Surhuisterveen ( fry, Surhústerfean) is the largest of the 12 villages of the municipality of Achtkarspelen, in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. As of 1 Jan ...

is a cyclo-cross event organized in the village. There is a restored

windmill A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called sails or blades, specifically to mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and other applications, in some ...

in the village, ''Koartwâld''. The source of the Lauwers river, as a small stream, is located southeast of the village.

Gallery

File:Woonhuis in Interbellumstijl.jpg , Row of houses File:,t Suyderhuys Surhuisterveen.JPG, Apartment building File:Begin van de Kolk. Surhuisterveen.JPG, Shooping street File:De Kolk 3.JPG, Centre of Surhuisterveen File:Doopsgezinde kerk Surhuisterveen.jpg, Mennonite church File:Surhuisterveen-Molen Koartwald.jpg, Windmill Koartwald File:Toren in het geel.JPG, Dressed up clock tower File:Wielrenner Pieter Weening in Surhuisterveen 2015.JPG, Centrumcross

References

External links

{{Authority control Achtkarspelen Populated places in Friesland