Genemuiden
Encyclopedia
Genemuiden is a city located in the north western part of the Province of Overijssel. It received city rights
in 1275 which is also the first time Genemuiden gets mentioned in history.
It stayed independent up until 2001 when, despite fierce opposition of its inhabitants, it was forced to merge with the smaller, neighbouring villages of Zwartsluis
and Hasselt
to form the municipality of Zwartewaterland
.
The town itself doesn't have any buildings over 150 years old as two fires destroyed the town completely in 1866. These fires could not be controlled due to the great number of hay stacks in one street, 'de Achterweg' or 'Nachtweg'. This street still holds a non smoking sign, which is unique for a street in Europe.
Since the 18th century, the people from Genemuiden have been producing floor mats made of the bulrush
that grows on the shores of the Zuiderzee. When the quality of the bulrush deteriorated in the 20th century, due to the change from salt water to fresh water (see Zuiderzee), the industry switched over to using coir
imported from India to produce mats and carpets. In the sixties the first tufting machines were imported and currently Genemuiden is one of Europe's main production centres of tufted carpet
and artificial grass.
Genemuiden is a Protestant stronghold, having 5 reformed Protestant denominations and no Roman Catholic church. It's on the north-eastern tip of the so-called Dutch Bible Belt
.
City rights in the Netherlands
City rights are a medieval phenomenon in the history of the Low Countries. A liegelord, usually a count, duke or similar member of high nobility, granted a settlement he owned certain town privileges that settlements without city rights did not have....
in 1275 which is also the first time Genemuiden gets mentioned in history.
It stayed independent up until 2001 when, despite fierce opposition of its inhabitants, it was forced to merge with the smaller, neighbouring villages of Zwartsluis
Zwartsluis
Zwartsluis is a small city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Zwartewaterland, at the mouth of the Zwartewater River and the Meppelerdiep canal....
and Hasselt
Hasselt
Hasselt is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital of the Flemish province of Limburg...
to form the municipality of Zwartewaterland
Zwartewaterland
Zwartewaterland is a municipality in the province Overijssel in the eastern Netherlands.-Situation; economy :This mainly rural municipality lies south of Steenwijkerland on the Zwarte Water . This is a short distributary of the river IJssel from Zwolle to the Zwarte Meer. This lake was before 1931...
.
The town itself doesn't have any buildings over 150 years old as two fires destroyed the town completely in 1866. These fires could not be controlled due to the great number of hay stacks in one street, 'de Achterweg' or 'Nachtweg'. This street still holds a non smoking sign, which is unique for a street in Europe.
Since the 18th century, the people from Genemuiden have been producing floor mats made of the bulrush
Schoenoplectus
Schoenoplectus is a genus of about 80 species of sedges with a cosmopolitan distribution. Note that the name bulrush is also applied to species in the unrelated genus Typha...
that grows on the shores of the Zuiderzee. When the quality of the bulrush deteriorated in the 20th century, due to the change from salt water to fresh water (see Zuiderzee), the industry switched over to using coir
Coir
Coir is a natural fibre extracted from the husk of coconut and used in products such as floor mats, doormats, brushes, mattresses etc. Technically coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. Other uses of brown coir are in upholstery...
imported from India to produce mats and carpets. In the sixties the first tufting machines were imported and currently Genemuiden is one of Europe's main production centres of tufted carpet
Carpet
A carpet is a textile floor covering consisting of an upper layer of "pile" attached to a backing. The pile is generally either made from wool or a manmade fibre such as polypropylene,nylon or polyester and usually consists of twisted tufts which are often heat-treated to maintain their...
and artificial grass.
Genemuiden is a Protestant stronghold, having 5 reformed Protestant denominations and no Roman Catholic church. It's on the north-eastern tip of the so-called Dutch Bible Belt
Bible Belt
Bible Belt is an informal term for a region in the southeastern and south-central United States in which socially conservative evangelical Protestantism is a significant part of the culture and Christian church attendance across the denominations is generally higher than the nation's average.The...
.
External links
Map of the former municipality, around 1868.- Official Website (Dutch)
- Website Tapijt Museum / Carpet Museum Genemuiden (Dutch)
- News from Genemuiden (Dutch)
- Pictures of Genemuiden (Dutch)