Wildervank
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Wildervank
| settlement_type = Village
| image_skyline = Nederlands hervormde Kerk Wildervank.jpg
| image_caption = Protestant Church in 2005
| image_flag = Wildervank vlag.svg
| image_shield = Wildervank wapen.svg
| pushpin_map = Netherlands Groningen#Netherlands
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_mapsize = 250
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the province of Groningen in the Netherlands
| coordinates = {{Coord|53|05|N|6|52|E|region:NL-GR_type:city|display=title,inline}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Netherlands
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Groningen
| subdivision_type2 = Municipality
| subdivision_name2 = Veendam
| area_total_km2 = 28.09
| population_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://www.cbs.nl/-/media/_excel/2021/48/kwb-2021.xls |title=Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021 |website=Central Bureau Statistics |access-date=26 February 2022}}
| established_title = Established
| established_date = 1647
| population_total = 5,455
| population_as_of = 2021
| population_density_km2 = auto
| blank_name_sec1 = Transport
| blank1_name_sec1 = Major roads
| blank1_info_sec1 = N33
| elevation_footnotes = {{cite web |url = http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool |title = Postcodetool for 9648AA |language = nl |work = Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland |publisher = Het Waterschapshuis |access-date = 27 February 2022}}
| elevation_m = 2
| postal_code_type = Postal code
| postal_code = 9648
| area_code = 0598
| website =
}}
Wildervank is a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Veendam, about 3 km south of the centre of Veendam itself. It was founded in 1647 by Adriaan Geerts Wildervanck as a peat colony in the Wildervankster bog. Wildervank was a separate municipality until 1969, when the area was divided between Veendam and Stadskanaal.{{Repertorium Nederlandse Gemeenten}}
History
The Wildervankster bog was a raised bog located to the west of Oude Pekela. Adriaan Geerts settled in Oude Pekela to study the exploitation of peat by the city of Groningen. The Wildevankster bog was still untouched, and Geerts wanted to purchase it. He bought the bog in 1647 in order to establish his own peat colony, but needed to procure a ƒ250,000 mortgage from an Amsterdam merchant.{{cite web|url=https://www.deverhalenvangroningen.nl/alle-verhalen/groninger-boegbeeld-10-adriaan-geerts-wildervanck |title=Groninger Boegbeeld 10: Adriaan Geerts Wildervanck |website=De verhalen van Groningen |access-date=27 February 2022 |language=nl}} Geerts would later use the surname Wildervanck.{{cite web|url=https://www.plaatsengids.nl/wildervank |title=Wildervank |website=Plaatsengids |access-date=27 February 2022}} The colony was moderately successful, however the heavy mortgage payments forced Wildervanck to sell large parts of the colony.
In 1687, the church was finished in Wildervank. It was named Margaretha Hardenberg Church after the wife of Adriaan Wildervanck. The parish separated from Oude Pekela in 1702. Wildervank was originally a linear settlement along the canal.{{cite book|url=https://dbnl.org/tekst/sten009monu04_01/sten009monu04_01_0142.php |title=Wildervank |author=Redmer Alma |year=1998 |page=227 |publisher=Waanders Uitgevers |location=Zwolle |isbn=90 400 9258 3}} It would remain an independent municipality until 1969 when it merged into Veendam except for a small part which was added to Stadskanaal.
Notable people
- Jan de Blécourt (1860–1925), Dutch olympic sports shooter{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/43408 |title=Jan Johannes de Blécourt|website=Olympedia |access-date=27 February 2022}}
- Gerda Geertens (born 1955), Dutch composer{{cite web|url=https://www.musicanet.org/bdd/en/composer/21547-geertens-gerda |title=Geertens, Gerda (born in 1955) |website=Musica Net |access-date=27 February 2022}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Wildervank}}
{{Dutch municipality Veendam}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Populated places in Groningen (province)