Kampereiland is a beautifull region with an unique history. In 1364 the city of Kampen received the rights over the Isles North of Kampen, given by Jan van Arkel, bishop in Utrecht. In those days the area was 550 hectare (1 hectare is 2.5 acre). The former swamps surrounding this area were cultivated in the next 600 years. Kampen leased these grounds to farmers, most commonly dairy farmers. Despite many floods, by both the Rivers and the Sea the area grew, up to about 5500 hectare.
In 1932 the Zuiderzee was protected by the Afsluitdijk, changing it into the IJsselmeer. The growth of the area stopped. It's even decreasing today, because part of the area is needed for the city and industry. The number of farms also is decreasing, very rapidly. The production/person always has grown, this is a natural proces and will continue most probably. The number of people needed on a farm became less and less. Unfortunately many farms now have only one working hand left, the farmer himself. A lot of farmers don't have a successor when they're retiring. Costs are raising, but the yields don't, causing several successors to search for a future elsewhere.
To protect the history and culture of this area a group of enthousiastic volunteers toke the initiative to raise a second museum. The first one shows the way farmers lived inside the walls of Kampen. The second museum will show the way the inhabitants have lived, did their daily work at the farms, battled the water, etc. I hope to make a contribution on a database containing information on everyone who ever lived in this area. We started building an enormous collection of foto's.
The foundation 'Ons Erfgoed' manages the city-farm at Groenestraat 94 in Kampen. At the location Heultjesweg 31, a new museum in a saksonian farm on a dwelling mount is opened.
Farms Kampen in Google Earth
or Download KamperErven.zip
Kampen is worth visiting.
What's up in Kampen
