Musselkanaal Explained

Settlement Type:Town
Musselkanaal
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Netherlands
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Groningen
Subdivision Type2:Municipality
Subdivision Name2:Stadskanaal
Area Total Km2:11.56
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:7,130
Population As Of:2021
Population Density Km2:auto
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:9581
Area Code:0599
Elevation Footnotes:[2]
Elevation M:10
Coordinates:52.9293°N 7.0192°W
Pushpin Map:Netherlands Groningen#Netherlands
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the province of Groningen in the Netherlands

Musselkanaal (also: Stads-Musselkanaal; Gronings: Muzzelknoal) is a town in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Stadskanaal. It was established by the city of Groningen in the 1840s to exploit the peat. It used to be part of the municipality of Onstwedde, but was merged into Stadskanaal in 1968.

History

The Bourtange moor was located in the south-east of Groningen. It was a raised bog with few inhabitants. Around 1600, corporations started to exploit the peat. In 1635, the city of Groningen took control, and established the, as a colony.[3] [4] The colony had advanced to Stadskanaal where it ended due to a border conflict with the province of Drenthe.[5] In 1615, the border had been defined by the Semslinie, and the village and monastery of Ter Apel was assigned to Drenthe. In 1817, the line was modified with the so-called Koningsraai which assigned Ter Apel to Groningen.[6]

In 1819, Groningen started extending the in a south-eastern direction close to the provincial border. The canal was initially called Stads-Musselkanaal and contains two bends due to the Koningsraai. In 1850, the canal was renamed .[5] The village was named after the canal.[7] Musselkanaal is a linear settlement, and contains five side-canals along which houses were built. There is a large park and sports ground in the south of the town. The Horstenerbos, a forest area, is located on the northern side.[8]

The peat extraction resulted in an immigration from neighbouring Germany. Many of the immigrants were Catholics, and in 1843, a Catholic church was built in Zandberg. In 1903, a parish was established in Musselkanaal.[7] It used to have a railway line and train station. In 1955, the line closed for passengers, and for goods in 1990. In 1992, the section VeendamStadskanaal–Musselkanaal was bought by which operates a museum line with steam trains.[9] [10] The town used to be part of the municipality of Onstwedde, but was merged into Stadskanaal in 1968.[7]

Notable people

References

  1. Web site: Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021 . Central Bureau Statistics . 28 February 2022.
  2. Web site: Postcodetool for 9581AA . nl . Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland . Het Waterschapshuis . 28 February 2022.
  3. Web site: Oude Veenkoloniën . Landschap Geschiedenis . 28 February 2022. nl.
  4. Book: Uit Pekela's verleden . Bosgra. W.H.. 1930 . Oude Pekela . Feringa . nl. 14 . 28 February 2022.
  5. Book: Musselkanaal . Redmer Alma . 1998 . 167 . Waanders Uitgevers . Zwolle . 90 400 9258 3 . nl . 28 February 2022.
  6. Web site: Semslinie . Geheugen van Drenthe . 28 February 2022 . nl.
  7. Web site: Musselkanaal . Plaatsengids . 28 February 2022 . nl.
  8. Web site: Musselkanaal . Stadskanaal Noord en Musselkanaal . 28 February 2022 . nl.
  9. Web site: Museumspoorlijn STAR, 1992-heden . NOLS-maatschappij . 28 February 2022 . nl.
  10. Web site: Geschiedenis . Stadskanaal Rail . 28 February 2022 . nl.
  11. News: DERDE HELFT – week 29 – 2013 . De Krant van Tynaarlo . 28 February 2022 . nl.
  12. Web site: Klinken, Geesiena Jacoba van (1921-2013) . Digitaal Vrouwenlexicon van Nederland . Frans Groot . 2017 . 28 February 2022 . nl.