Erica: Peat Railway, Peat History and Industrial Heritage
Accommodation in Erica
Erica was established shortly after 1860 as a buckwheat colony on sandy soils in the peat region below Zuidbarge. In 1867, the Verlengde Hoogeveensche Vaart was extended from Nieuw-Amsterdam to a point beyond Erica; homes and businesses were subsequently built along the canal. These milestones provide a framework for the town’s history, bringing together settlement, waterways and peat extraction. If you are looking for a hotel in Erica, you can consider whether your trip will focus mainly on the narrow-gauge railway, the landscape or the architectural and industrial history.
Through the Peat Region by Narrow-Gauge Railway
The Industrieel Smalspoor Museum offers a narrow-gauge railway ride through a peat region. Large parts of the track are original and were once used to transport peat. The railway line is therefore directly linked to the history of peat extraction. At the museum, children may drive a narrow-gauge locomotive themselves under the supervision of an experienced engine driver and then receive a personalised engine driver’s diploma.
The museum’s collection also focuses on the narrow-gauge railway and includes locomotives, carriages, tools, photographs and other material. The grounds are home to a four-track narrow-gauge railway shed dating from 1910. It is considered the only surviving building of its kind in the Netherlands and is a Rijksmonument. Also on the grounds is the Fijnfabriek, a peat-litter factory that is still partly operational. It is a Rijksmonument and is associated with the production of peat litter. The collection, shed and factory illustrate different aspects of technical and industrial history.
Landscape and Waterways
The museum tour route passes through a natural area considered a special biotope because of its diverse flora and fauna and more than 70 bird species. The area is part of Geopark de Hondsrug, which has held UNESCO Global Geopark status since 2015. Nature and railway history meet on the same trip, though they are not the same focus: the route recalls the former transport of peat, while the landscape is characterised by its biodiversity.
The Niemandlandsroute runs alongside dead-straight canals, old peat-development areas and deserted sandy tracks. It can be followed using the walking junction network. The waterways are also part of the regional context: the waterway from Nieuw-Amsterdam/Veenoord to Ter Apel is known as the Veenvaart. The King Willem-Alexander Canal runs between Erica and Ter Apel. The opening of the canal made it possible to travel by boat throughout Drenthe.
Griendtsveenpark is located in Amsterdamscheveld, on the border between Erica and Schoonebeek.
Buildings and Remembrance of Peat Work
The present-day Roman Catholic Church of Onze Lieve Vrouwe Onbevlekt Ontvangen stands on Kerkweg. It dates from 1933 and was built because its predecessor had become too small. Designed by C. Hardeman, it is in the traditionalist style. In the centre of Erica, Willem Kind’s steel sculpture De Kanaalgravers commemorates the hard work of digging the peat canals. It stands at the intersection of Verlengde Vaart and Havenstraat, on the site of the former harbour, which has since been filled in. The church and monument thus represent different themes in the town’s history: church building in the 1930s and the work preserved in the memory of the canals.
Find a Hotel for Your Stay in Erica
This lets you choose a destination to suit your interests, whether you are particularly interested in railway history, nature or the town’s development.
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