Kraggenburg
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Kraggenburg is a settlement in the Noordoostpolder with 1500 inhabitants. The village is situated south east of the regional town Emmeloord.
Kraggenburg got her name from a former lighthouse that is named Oud Kraggenburg. It belongs to the oldest buildings of the reclamed land area called Noordoostpolder, see also Schokland.
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[edit] 19th century Kraggenburg
In the middle of the 19th century a group of rich tradingpartners formed a company that build dams into the Zuiderzee to enable ships to reach the town of Zwolle and enhance shipping goods to the province of Overijssel.
To build dams into the water of the Zuiderzee they used so called 'kraggen': floting clusters of water plants and sheer. These 'kraggen' were cheap and could be found in the neighbourhood near villages like Wanneperveen, Dwarsgracht and Giethoorn.
At the end of the western dam a little wooden shed was placed to house the lightkeeper. Those who erected it nicknamed it the Kraggenburght (translated: Kraggenburrow). Which explanes the present name of Kraggenburg.
[edit] Kraggenburg after reclaiming land from the sea
After pumping the polder dry Kraggenburg and the lands surrounding it were make into an agricultural area with a focus on growing fruits. A large part of the area contained so called stone clay which makes it virtually impossible to grow anythingthere. They turned it into a production forest in order to make some profit.
Kraggenburg is a very social community. It houses a wide range of sports and social clubs. There is an annual fair where sports , theater groups and games are played and drinks add to the fun.
[edit] Future
Kraggenburg will focus on recreational aspects in the near future. It features a hotel, two group accommodations, three camp sites and a small yacht harbour. The forest accommodates hiking, Nordic walking and such. You can swim, sail, ride bikes and fish in the area.
