Neerlandia | |
Settlement Type: | Hamlet |
Pushpin Relief: | yes |
Pushpin Map: | Canada Alberta#Canada |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Neerlandia |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | Canada |
Subdivision Type1: | Province |
Subdivision Name1: | Alberta |
Subdivision Type2: | Region |
Subdivision Name2: | Central Alberta |
Subdivision Type3: | Census division |
Subdivision Name3: | 13 |
Subdivision Type4: | Municipal district |
Subdivision Name4: | County of Barrhead No. 11 |
Government Type: | Unincorporated |
Leader Title1: | Governing body |
Leader Name1: | County of Barrhead No. 11 Council |
Established Title: | Established |
Population As Of: | 1991 |
Population Footnotes: | [1] |
Population Total: | 101 |
Timezone: | MST |
Utc Offset: | −07:00 |
Timezone Dst: | MDT |
Utc Offset Dst: | −06:00 |
Coordinates: | 54.319°N -114.377°W |
Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
Area Code: | 780, 587, 825 |
Blank Name: | Highways |
Blank1 Name: | Waterways |
Neerlandia is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within the County of Barrhead No. 11. Neerlandia is situated at the intersection of Highway 769 and Township Road 615A between Mellowdale and Vega, approximately 20 kilometers north of Barrhead and northwest of Westlock.
Neerlandia was founded by Dutch immigrants beginning in 1911. The name "Neerlandia" refers to the first settlers' country of origin, the Netherlands. The surrounding area is largely agricultural based with many people in the outlying area also being involved in construction and other trades as well.
In January 1911, Henry Kippers began a Dutch colonization society with the goal to create a Dutch farming community. The community formation began on December 18, 1911 with 16 men filling for land permits at the Dominion of Lands Office in Edmonton, Alberta. These men were John Anema, Rients de Jager, Drikus Huinink, Cornelius Ingwersen, Albert M. Mast, Johan Messelink, Henry J. Micheal, Menne Nanninga, Albert J. Oldegbers, Hendrik Schoonekamp, Berend te Ronde, Douwe Terpsma, John Terpsma, Siebren Tiemstra and Willem van Ark. This was followed by Fred Baron and Henry J. Kippers on December 26, 1911 and Arie Emmerzael on February 6, 1912.[2]
Neerlandia recorded a population of 101 in the 1991 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada.[1]
The Hamlet of Neerlandia has four churches (Christian Reformed, United Reformed and two Canadian Reformed), a grocery store, a farm and building centre, a self-serve gas station, a restaurant and two schools, the Neerlandia Public Christian School and the Covenant Canadian Reformed School. The public school houses the public library and has a tennis court and a baseball diamond. The ice rink beside the public school was demolished to make room for the new school and a new ice rink has been constructed across the road from the school.Neerlandia is southeast of the Fort Assiniboine Sandhills Wildland Provincial Park in Woodlands County, which is accessible via Highway 769 and Highway 661. The park and surrounding area is a camping, snowmobiling, quadding, trailriding and hunting destination.
The Neerlandia Historical Society compiled a historical biography of Neerlandia, entitled "A Furrow Laid Bare."[3]