City tour Hoogeveen (Drummers)

The history of Hoogeveen comes alive along this marked hiking route. A story that begins around 1625 with Roelof van Echten. At that time, he purchased a large peat area around Zuidwolde: present-day Hoogeveen.
Hoogeveen, as the name suggests, owes its existence to peat extraction. Roelof founded the "Compagnie van de 5000 Morgen" for peat extraction. The company had an extensive system of canals dug to drain the peat and transport the "brown gold" to the users. Every Sunday, Roelof van Echten sent out a drummer, the "Trommelslager", to summon the peat workers to church.
Peat was used as a fuel for domestic use and industrial activities from the Middle Ages until about 1900. With the introduction of coal, the people of Hoogeveen had to switch to other sources of energy around 1900. They shifted to agriculture, livestock farming, and industry. In the 1960s, Hoogeveen was even temporarily the fastest-growing municipality in the Netherlands.
The route begins at the Grote Kerk. Near this church on Van Echtenstraat or Van Echtensplein, you can park for a fee. It is also possible to start the route at other points by following the signage.