The Bachtenaar

This mill was probably built in the year 1714. The first mill that stood on this site was built in 1487.
The original purpose of this mill was to drain the Bergambacht polder on the Vlistboezem. Until the commissioning of a mechanical pumping station in 1926, this polder was also drained on the Lek by two lower mills and one upper mill. Until 1917, an upper mill could also be used.
Until 1879, the Bachtenaar was part of a corridor of mills, which ground out onto the Hollandse IJssel. In that year the steam paddle pumping station 'P.J. Smits' was put into operation. This building, at Hoogstraat 133 in Haastrecht, now bears the name 'Aletta'.
Along the Vlist near Haastrecht (Oost Vlisterdijk 1) is still the remnant of the so-called "Sixth Mill". Along the Bilwijkerweg, from the Vlist, towards Stolwijk, you can still see the substructure of another mill of that mill corridor, the so-called "Molen van Hol"
Until May 1939, the Bachtenaar raised the water from an area of about 2570 hectares to a height of between 1 meter and 1.30 meters.
Between May 1939 and 1941 the mill did not function. It was put back into service in 1941, due to fuel scarcity. This period of activity lasted until 1946.
The owner of the Bachtenaar was the municipality of Bergambacht from 1961 to 1967. A restoration was carried out in 1963 and 1964, after which the mill was back in reasonable condition. This was followed by another period of moderate maintenance. In 1967 the mill was leased by the municipality of Bergambacht to Herman and Esther Oskam. In 1983 they bought the mill and took up the restoration again. The mill had to do without blades for a number of years, but is now in good shape again.
In 2009 the mill was sold to Peter de Bruin and Hilda van der Sluis. Peter helped with the restoration of the mill between 1983 and 1988 and has been living there since October 2009, together with Hilda and their two children.

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