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20-733: Borger-Compascuum is located in the Bourtange moor between Germany and the Netherlands. It was originally a compascuum (common pasture). In 1866, Barger-Compascuum was established, and the area was permanently inhabited. The Bourtange moor , a large raised bog , formed the border between the Netherlands and Germany. It was an inhospitable uninhabited area which was dissected by the Runde River  [ nl ] . The shepherds from both Ober - and Niederlangen in Germany and Noord - and Zuidbarge in

40-410: A Catholic church was built, and a parish was established. Between 1923 and 1925, it was replaced with the current church. The systematic cultivation of the area started in the 1910s. In 1966, Veenpark  [ nl ] , an open-air museum dedicated to the peat history of the region, was opened. It contains a sod house village, a windmill and a clog factory. In 1983, the smock mill De Berk

60-870: The Amsterdamse Veld in southeast Drenthe was stripped of its peat, the harvesting of peat and other products from the bog stopped. A remaining part of the bog and surroundings including the Amsterdamse Veld are now part of the Bargerveen Nature Reserve , a Ramsar site . In Germany peat harvesting continued in the 21st century. Several bog bodies were found in the bog, including the Weerdinge Men (found near Weerdinge in Drenthe ), Aschbroeken Man , also from Drenthe, Roter Franz (Neu Versen in Emsland ) and

80-558: The Dutch part of the bog. In order to make the soil suitable to grow buckwheat the peat had to be burned. Because of the inconvenience it brought, it was banned in 1925. During the 19th century peat as a fuel, got competition from coal and peat harvesting became less profitable. In the second half of the 19th century de another important canal was dug, the Verlengde Hoogeveensche Vaart. This resulted in more peat harvesting in

100-643: The Hondsrug . The eastern leg was located in the valley of the Ems . Between these two legs lays Westerwolde . At its greatest extent the swamp was about 3000 km . The swamp arose around 5000 BC. The area was already inhabited before this happened, as shown by archeological finds such as the one at Hoetsmansmeer in Groningen . These finds are attributed to nomads from the Mesolithic . Eventually these people left because of

120-469: The Kibbelgaarn body (Kibbelgaarn in Groningen ) 52°53′45″N 7°15′35″E  /  52.89583°N 7.25972°E  / 52.89583; 7.25972 Ter Apel Ter Apel ( Dutch pronunciation: [tɛr ˈaːpəl] ; Gronings : Troapel ) is a village with a population of 9,914 residents in the municipality Westerwolde in the northern Netherlands , in the province Groningen in

140-654: The Province of Groningen . The Stadskanaal ( City canal ), which was dug in the 18th century, largely follows the Semslinie. This canal played a significant role in the large-scale peat harvesting. The areas that were cultivated were called veenkoloniën ( peat colonies ). Due to peat harvesting and drainage the remaining swamp became a lot drier. This was bad for the military function of the eastern branch. Therefore, dikes were built near Bourtange to keep water there. Also colonists from Germany , who grew buckwheat , arrived in

160-670: The Stads-Ter Apel canal in the direction of Stadskanaal , the Weerdingermond in the direction of Nieuw-Weerdinge , and in the direction of Emmer-Compascuum . In 1916 the Ruiten Aa canal was completed, which as of 2004 is again navigable for recreational boating. In the first half of the 20th century it was a hub for the rail and tram routes operated by the Eerste Drentsche Stoomtramweg Maatschappij (EDS),

180-449: The Netherlands used the heath for their sheep. There was disagreement about the ownership, and a compascuum (common pasture) was agreed. The shepherds from both sides could use the land, but no permanent settlement was allowed. The compascuum did not solve the problem, and there were several large-scale fights between the Dutch and German farmers. In the 1824 Treaty of Meppen, the border

200-467: The bog, strongholds were built. Bourtange , Oudeschans , Nieuweschans , Valtherschans and Emmerschans are examples of these places. Initially cultivation only occurred at the edges of the swamp. The harvested peat was a source of fuel. During the second half of the Middle Ages the monasteries of Aduard and Essen played an important role in cultivating the bog. In the Middle Ages some places at

220-547: The bordering German districts of Bentheim and Emsland . A remaining stretch on the border between Drenthe and the districts Emsland and Betheim is now a nature reserve, the Internationaler Naturpark Bourtanger Moor-Bargerveen . The Bourtange Swamp had the shape of a V. The western leg covered the valley of the Hunze and ranged towards the city of Groningen . The western part was bordered by

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240-452: The city of Groningen , with the monastery and its grounds included. Over time the city planted forests on these grounds. In 1931-1933 the remaining parts of the monastery were restored. In 1976 ownership of the monastery and the forests passed to the state forest managers, Staatsbosbeheer . The agricultural land was also purchased after 1976. Since the 19th century, built-up strips have also formed due to Peat production from bogs along

260-485: The city via this small river. In the 17th century, Westerwolde came under control of the city of Groningen and the peat harvesting became more large-scaled Johan de la Haye and Johan Sems designed a line right through the western 'leg' of the bog, de Semslinie . De Semslinie is a straight line between Wolfsbarge (a village near the Zuidlaardermeer ) and Ter Apel . Nowadays it is the border between Drenthe and

280-499: The edges of the bog were drained for growing rye . The drainage caused soil settling and the area became more vulnerable to floodings. Between 1360 and 1500 parts in the northeast were washed away by the Dollart . In the 16th century large-scale peat harvesting began. The Frisian method, using canals , was introduced. At first most peat harvesting was done at the river Hunze near the city of Groningen . The peat could be transported to

300-515: The growing swamp. Near Valthe - Ter Apel and Nieuw-Dordrecht remnants of roads through the bog were found, dating from the Neolithic to the Iron Age . From a military point of view the swamp had an important function as a protective barrier, especially between 1580 and 1850. The swamp played an important role during the wars between Groningen and Münster In places with passages through or along

320-615: The region Westerwolde . The town lies on the stream Ruiten Aa , which has the valley that together with the Ter Apeler forest belongs to the national network of nature reserves, the Ecologische Hoofdstructuur . An accommodation centre for refugees is located at Ter Apel, functioning as a "departure centre" for rejected refugees and a registration point, operated by the Centraal Orgaan opvang Asielzoekers . Ter Apel lies on

340-684: The roads N366, N976 and N391. It forms the southern point of the border between Groningen and Drenthe , the Semslinie . The town was founded at a monastery , which from the thirteenth century was a chief work of the Premonstratensians and from 1465 an institution of the Order of the Holy Cross . It was closed in 1594 due to the Protestant Reformation . In 1619 ownership of Westerwolde passed to

360-406: The southern points of the bog. In the 20th century peat was no longer the main product from the bog, but activated charcoal , turfstrooisel (a sort of compost) and potting soil became important products. No new canals were dug and products from the bog was being largely transported to factories via narrow gauge railways . From there it was transported by ship, tram engine , train or truck. After

380-542: Was moved to Barger-Compascuum. The mill was originally located in Drantum  [ de ] . In 2001, a pump organ museum opened in the Veenpark, and contains a collection of 250 pump organs. Bourtange moor The Bourtanger Moor ( Dutch : Bourtangerveen/Bourtangermoeras , German : Bourtanger Moor , Low Saxon : Boertanger Moor ) was a bog in eastern parts in the Dutch provinces of Drenthe and Groningen and

400-411: Was set, however the compascuum remained in effect until 1866 when permanent settlement was allowed in the moorland. On 23 July 1866, the village of Barger-Compascuum was founded. The first settlers were mainly farmers from Hannover who started to dig the canals, excavate the peat , and plant buckwheat . A linear settlement was built along the canals, and many people lived in sod houses . In 1872,

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