VERRASSEND VEENHUIZEN

In 1822 the Maatschappij of Weldadigheid (translated freely: Company for Benevolence) bought 3.000 hectares of land of the farmers in Veenhuizen en founded three ‘asylums’. Asylum I and III were ment for widdows and orphants. Alylum II was ment for vagrants. The inhabitants, who were called ‘verpleegden’ lived and worked in stuffy wards. Fresh air was only available in the main courtyard or when working in the fields.

In 1859 the gouvernement took over Veenhuizen. From 1875 it was a part of the department of Justice. In this period many of the caracterfull buildings where created. The department of Justice builds round 1900 two new prisons; Norgerhaven and Esserheem. Around that a whole village was build, divided in two sections: Veenhuizen I and Veenhuizen II. The grand houses along the canal, on the front embellished with proverbs like ‘Werk en Bid’ (work and pray) and ‘Bitter en Zoet’ (Bitter and sweet), were meant for the guards. The manager lived in ‘Klein Soestdijk’, an impressive house along the Colony canal.

The characteristic buildings are nowadays more and more used by civilians who have no connection with the department of justice. Since 1980 the village is open for all visitors.

THE CACHEROUTE

This multi cache brings you along a number of the characteristic buildings but also along fields and lanes around the village.

You can park at the coordinate on top off the cache page. This is the parking area of the Prison museum witch is housed in the former ‘Second Asylum’. Parking is free. We can recommend to visit this museum after (or before) doing this cache route.

Veenhuizen still is a prison village. During this route you will pass a prison building which is still in full use. The security of these grounds is obviously very severe. We therefore think it will not be wise to walk this route in the evening or at night!

 

At almost all the waypoints (except WP1 and WP7) you will find round disks on which a letter-number-combination is written. Write down all the numbers!

You are a guest in Veenhuizen. Do not destroy things, do not leave any garbage behind and stay on the paths. You don’t have to leave the track in order to find this cache.

This cache is made in cooperation with "Veenhuizen Boeit". You can find the information centre of this foundation in the old slaughter house of the village, near WP10.