Onstwedde

Onstwedde was first mentioned in 875 as Uneswido in documents of the Werden Abbey.{{cite web|url=https://onstwedde.info/algemene-info/het-dorp.html |title=Onstwedde - Het dorp |website=Onstwedde |access-date=26 February 2022 |language=nl }} The name means the forest (-wido similar to the English wood) of Une (first name).{{cite web|url=https://etymologiebank.nl/trefwoord/onstwedde |title=Onstwedde - (geografische naam) |website=Etymologie Bank |access-date=26 February 2022 |language=nl}} The village is a double esdorp, a communal pasture surrounded by houses. The northern pasture was called Wold, and the southern pasture Loug.{{cite web|url=https://dbnl.org/tekst/sten009monu04_01/sten009monu04_01_0093.php |title=Onstwedde |author=Redmer Alma |year=1998 |page=180 |publisher=Waanders Uitgevers |location=Zwolle |isbn=90 400 9258 3}} Onstwedde was a part of Westerwolde, a region dominated by raised bogs which formed the natural border between Groningen, East Frisia and the Prince-Bishopric of Münster.{{cite book|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/boeken/view?identifier=MMKB24:079874000:00018&query=Winschoterzijl&coll=boeken&rowid=10 |title=Uit Pekela's verleden |last1=Bosgra| first1=W.H.|year=1930 |location=Oude Pekela |publisher=Feringa |language=nl|pages=9-11 |access-date=26 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.plaatsengids.nl/onstwedde |title=Onstwedde |website=Plaatsengids |access-date=26 February 2022 |language=nl}} Onstwedde is located in the valley of the {{ill|Mussel-Aa|nl}} river, and was a fertile island surrounded by bogs on all sides.

A dominant feature of Onstwedde is the Nicolaas Church which was constructed around 1500. It has a {{convert|41|m}} tall tower. The walls are {{convert|2|m}} thick, and it used to be surrounded by a moat and could be accessed via a drawbridge. It is assumed that the church was also used as a fortification.

Onstwedde used to be the main village of the region. In 1765, the city of Groningen started to dig the Stadskanaal to the south of Onstwedde in order to exploit the peat.{{cite web|url=https://www.plaatsengids.nl/stadskanaal |title=Stadskanaal |website=Plaatsengids |access-date=26 February 2022 |language=nl}} In 1840, the population of Onstwedde was 2,405 people, and Stadskanaal had 1,980 inhabitants. Stadskanaal soon surpassed Onstwedde, and in 1882, the town hall was moved to Stadskanaal. In 1969, the municipality was renamed Stadskanaal.

On 20 April 1943, the Royal Canadian Air Force bomber Mosquito II crashed and burnt in Smeerling near Onstwedde. The crew members are buried in a Commonwealth War Grave on the municipal cemetery.{{cite web|url=https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/24022/Commonwealth-War-Graves-Municipal-Cemetery.htm |title=Commonwealth War Graves Municipal Cemetery |website=Traces of War |access-date=26 February 2022}}

The two elementary schools of Onstwedde merged into a single entity. Since 2011, the kindergarten, elementary school and high school moved into MFA De Bast, a single building. Onstwedde is one of the few places in the Netherlands where all educational facilities are concentrated in a single building.

File:Smeerling18.jpg

The hamlet of Smeerling is located on the road to Vlagtwedde.{{cite book|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/boeken/view?identifier=MMKB24:062881000:00092&query=smeerling&coll=boeken&page=2&rowid=7 |title=Geïllustreerde gids voor Westerwolde |year=1907 |page=6 |author1=G. Herwig |author2=R.H. Herwig |publisher=Unknown}} It contains about ten houses and is home to approximately 25 people, and is considered a part of Onstwedde for statistical and postal services.{{cite web|url=https://www.plaatsengids.nl/smeerling |title=Smeerling |website=Plaatsengids |access-date=1 March 2022 |language=nl}}

There are eight farms in the hamlet which are in similar condition to the 1830 situation. Five of the farms are monuments, the others are from a later date, but traditionally constructed and match the surroundings. In 1972, the entire hamlet was designated a protected monument.{{cite web|url=https://archisarchief.cultureelerfgoed.nl/Beschermde_Gezichten/BG319/TOELICHTING_aanwijzing_319.pdf |title=Smeerling |website=Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed |date=11 September 1972 |language=nl |access-date=1 March 2022}} The protected area measures {{convert|91.6|ha}}. A two kilometre path has been constructed through the hamlet, forests and meadows of Smeerling.

• Henk Bleker (born 1953), Dutch politician{{cite web|url=https://www.parlement.com/id/vihfckxm9ut9/h_henk_bleker |title=Dr. H. (Henk) Bleker |website=Dutch Parliament |access-date=26 February 2022 |language=nl}}
• Izaak Reijnders (1879–1966), Dutch general{{cite web|url=http://resources.huygens.knaw.nl/bwn1880-2000/lemmata/bwn3/reijnders |title=Reijnders, Izaak Herman (1879-1966) |website=Huygens Institute for the History of the Netherlands |year=2013 |language=nl|access-date=26 February 2022}}

File:Havenstraat4 Onstwedde.jpg|Former town hall

File:Standerdmolen te Mussel - Onstwedde - 20173571 - RCE.jpg|Post mill (1936)

File:20191229 Pagebos en Pagediep.jpg|Pagediep, a remnant of the former bogs

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.onstwedde.info/ www.onstwedde.info] (in Dutch)

{{Dutch municipality Stadskanaal}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Populated places in Groningen (province)

Category:Former municipalities of Groningen (province)

Category:Stadskanaal

Category:875 establishments