Hole of the Ham

The Gat van den Ham is a creek east of Lage Zwaluwe that belongs to a system that originated during the St. Elisabeth flood of 1421, and developed analogously to the current Biesbosch. The whole system was then called: Gat van den Ham and it amounted to about 750 ha.
The reclamation of this area began in the mid-16th century. In 1645 the Emiliapolder was created, then the Royale Polder and the Nieuwe Zwaluwse Polder. From 1750 a number of polders were added: Koekoekpolder and Polder Oudgors. After 1850 followed: Polder Den Bol and Polder Volharding. This created a whole of small polder and there was also the creek area with ewe forests and reed swamps. A large part of the area had no permanent habitation.

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