DE DEDEMSVAART

When Gerrit Willem van Marle plans to cultivate the vast moors east of Hasselt, he encounters great resistance. The cities of Zwolle, Kampen, and Deventer oppose this, fearing that their transit trade with Germany via the Vecht would be jeopardized. On July 9, 1809, Willem Jan Baron van Dedem begins digging the Dedemsvaart. By 1811, the canal had already progressed to Balkbrug. When Baron van Dedem ran into financial difficulties, he sold his canal to the province of Overijssel. When he eventually regains control of the project after two years, he manages to extend the canal to a length of 40 KM. Unfortunately, Baron van Dedem falls into financial trouble once again, and this time the Dedemsvaart permanently belongs to the province of Overijssel.

In the meantime, Willem Jan had the family home Rollecate in Vollenhove demolished and rebuilt along his life’s work, the Dedemsvaart. Huize Rollecate has made way for road traffic (the current N377).

The area of the former estate still bears the name Rollecate.

Beleef Dalfsen