Hem ( West Frisian: ''Him'') (population estimate: 1230) is a village in the municipality

Drechterland Drechterland () is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. The municipality was formed in 1979, in a merger of the former municipalities of Hoogkarspel, Westwoud and Oosterblokker. Its ...

, located in the north west of the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

, in the province of

North Holland North Holland (, ) is a Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands in the northwestern part of the country. It is located on the North Sea, north of South Holland and Utrecht (province), Utrecht, and west of Friesland and Flevola ...

and the region of West-Frisia. The village was first mentioned around 1312 as Hem, and means "silted land in a bend of a stream". Hem developed in the 12th century as a

peat Peat 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. ''Sphagnum'' moss, also called peat moss, is one of the most ...

excavation settlement. The tower of the Dutch Reformed church dates from around 1500. The

baluster A baluster () is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its ...

and spire were constructed after a 1897 fire. The matching church was demolished in 1972 after a fire. The Catholic St Lucas Church is an aisleless church from 1930. Hem was home to 591 people in 1840.

Notable people

Alice Besseling Alida Cornelia Maria "Alice" Besseling (23 October 1944 – 22 January 2014) was a city council member for the Christian Democratic Appeal, CDA in the Dutch city of Alphen aan den Rijn, and a local and social activist who was instrumental in the ...

, politician

Gallery

File:Hemmerbuurt 243, Hem.JPG, Farm Elba Hoeve File:Hem4.jpg, Former forge File:Hemmerbuurt 125, woonhuis, Hem.JPG, Farm in Hem File:Overzicht toren met balustrade en een achtzijdige naaldspits - Hem - 20406694 - RCE.jpg, Tower of the former church

References

Populated places in North Holland Former municipalities of North Holland Drechterland {{NorthHolland-geo-stub