Hoogeveen Facts for Kids

For other uses, see Hoogeveen (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids

Hoogeveen

't O(ge)veine (Dutch Low Saxon)

Former court house in Hoogeveen

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in Drenthe

Country

Netherlands

Province

Drenthe

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

129.25 km² (49.90 sq mi)

• Land

127.67 km² (49.29 sq mi)

• Water

1.58 km² (0.61 sq mi)

Elevation

12 m (39 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

54,733

• Density

429/km² (1,110/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Hoogevener

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

Parts of 7900 range

Area code

0524, 0528

Hoogeveen is a cool town and a municipality (like a local government area) in the Netherlands. It is located in the province of Drenthe. The name Hoogeveen means "high fen" or "high bog," which tells us about its history.

Dutch Topographic map of Hoogeveen (town), March 2014

Exploring Hoogeveen's Towns and Villages
Hoogeveen's Interesting History
Hoogeveen's International Connections
Notable People from Hoogeveen
Images for kids
See also

Exploring Hoogeveen's Towns and Villages

Hoogeveen is made up of several smaller towns and villages. Some of these include Elim, Fluitenberg, Noordscheschut, Hollandscheveld, Nieuw Moscou, Nieuweroord, Nieuwlande, Pesse, Stuifzand, and Tiendeveen. Hoogeveen and Noordscheschut still have some of the old canals that used to run through the town.

Hoogeveen's Interesting History

Hoogeveen's story began on December 20, 1625. On this day, a man named Roelof van Echten bought a huge area of peat land. He planned to harvest the peat, which is like a type of soil that can be burned for fuel. An old map once called this area a "deserted and impenetrable place of many swamps." Hoogeveen itself was officially started in 1636 by Peter Joostens Warmont and Johan van der Meer.

The Town's Special Coat of Arms

Hoogeveen has its own special coat of arms. It was given to the town on November 10, 1819. The design is white and shows a pile of peat covered in straw in the middle. On each side, there are beehives. These symbols represent the town's first two main industries: peat harvesting and beekeeping.

Famous Visitors and Growth

The famous painter Vincent van Gogh visited the Hoogeveen area in the fall of 1883.

In the late 1960s, Hoogeveen grew very quickly. It was one of the fastest-growing towns in the Netherlands! Before this time, the town had many canals. These canals were dug long ago to transport peat by boat. But by the 1960s, cars and trucks became more common. This meant the canals were not as important for transport, so many of them were filled in.

Getting Around: Transport in Hoogeveen

The first big transport link for Hoogeveen was the railway line. The Hoogeveen railway station opened in 1870. Since the early 1970s, the A28 highway (connecting Utrecht and Groningen) has made it easy to reach the town. In the early 2000s, the A37 highway was improved. This highway connects Hoogeveen to Germany, making travel to other countries easier. Hoogeveen also has a small airport that brings in some tourists.

Hoogeveen Chess Tournament

Since 1997, Hoogeveen has hosted the Hoogeveen Chess Tournament. This event attracts chess players and fans.

Hoogeveen's International Connections

Hoogeveen has a special connection with another town far away! This is called a "twin town" or "sister city" relationship.

Martin, Slovakia

Notable People from Hoogeveen

Many interesting people have come from Hoogeveen and its surrounding villages.

Leopold van Limburg Stirum

Piet Kleine, 2006

Smart Thinkers and Academics

Geert Booij (born 1947 in Hoogeveen) is a Dutch linguist. He studies how languages are built.
Derk Pereboom (born 1957 in Pesse) is a professor who teaches about philosophy and ethics.

Important Politicians

Leopold Karel, Count of Limburg Stirum (1758 in Hoogeveen - 1840) was a politician who helped bring back the monarchy in the Netherlands in 1813.
Hendrik Koekoek (born 1912 in Hollandscheveld) was a Dutch farmer and politician. He started the Farmers' Party.
Joop Bakker (born 1921 in Hoogeveen) was a Dutch politician.
Jetta Klijnsma (born 1957 in Hoogeveen) is a Dutch politician.
Anne Mulder (born 1969 in Hoogeveen) is a Dutch politician.
Mark Strolenberg (born 1979) is a Dutch politician.
Lea Bouwmeester (born 1979 in Hoogeveen) is a Dutch politician.

Amazing Athletes

Jan Bols (born 1944 in Hoogeveen) is a former speed skater who competed in the Olympics.
Piet Kleine (born 1951 in Hollandscheveld) is a former speed skater who won gold and silver medals at the Winter Olympics.
Theo ten Caat (born 1964 in Hollandscheveld) is a former professional football (soccer) player.
Tonnie Heijnen (born 1967 in Hoogeveen) is a Dutch para table tennis player who won at the Paralympics.
Erik Dekker (born 1970) is a retired professional road racing cyclist who won a medal at the Olympics.
Sandra Wiegers (born 1974 in Hoogeveen) is a former Dutch volleyball player.
Ingmar Berga (born 1984 in Hoogeveen) is a Dutch marathon speed skater.
Erik Bakker (born 1990 in Hoogeveen) is a Dutch professional football (soccer) player.
Jens Jurn Streutker (born 1993 in Hoogeveen) is a Dutch football (soccer) player.
Vivianne Miedema (born 1996 in Hoogeveen) is a Dutch professional football (soccer) player. She is the all-time top scorer for the Netherlands women's and men's teams, and in the English FA Women's Super League.
Jens Dekker (born 1998 in Hoogeveen) is a Dutch professional road racing cyclist.
Nande Wielink (born 1998 in Hoogeveen) is a Dutch football (soccer) player.

Creative Minds in Culture

Anne van Amstel (born 1974 in Hoogeveen) is a Dutch writer, psychologist, and poet.
Jill de Jong (born 1982 in Hoogeveen) is a Dutch model and actress.