Turf Barge and Old Power Station

Veenhuizen is a village in the north of Drenthe with an unusual history. In the early nineteenth century, a charitable society called the Maatschappij van Weldadigheid, founded by General Johannes van den Bosch, set up colonies in the north of the country to settle poor families and vagrants on reclaimed land, where they were expected to work and become self-supporting. Veenhuizen was one of these colonies, and it later became a place of confinement, with large prison institutions. The straight avenues, regular farms and grid-like layout still show the planning behind it, and the Colonies of Benevolence were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2021.

Peat, called turf in Dutch, shaped the economy of the region. Drenthe was covered with great bogs, and for centuries the peat was cut, dried and used for fuel, with canals dug to carry it away. Flat-bottomed barges, towed along the waterways by people or horses, hauled the peat to towns and cities. In a colony such as Veenhuizen, canals were also used to bring supplies and to move products. A turf barge is therefore a symbol of the way the landscape was worked, and a restored vessel gives a tangible idea of how goods were carried before roads and railways took over.

The second part of the name refers to the early electricity supply for the institutions of the colony. Large establishments such as prisons, workshops and farms needed power as technology advanced, and a power station was a sign of modernisation. Industrial buildings of this type are rare survivors, and they show how the community moved from muscle power and peat fires to electric machinery. The details of what can be visited vary, and tours and events happen at certain times, so check locally.

The village offers more on the same theme. The Prison Museum in Veenhuizen tells the story of the institutions that took over the colony and the lives of the inmates, and it is one of the most striking museums in the north. A drawbridge and lock on the canal near the village are further traces of the waterways, and walking and cycling routes cross the surrounding woods and fields.

The area suits history enthusiasts, cyclists and families interested in social history. Allow half a day to see the village, with its long avenues and austere buildings. It is a quiet place, and the mood can be sober, so go with an open mind and check opening arrangements for boat trips and tours.