Veendam plaats, farm village in the Netherlands
Veendam plaats is a village in the east of Groningen province in the Netherlands. It developed from the 17th century onward as a peat extraction settlement, organized around two canals that form a fork-like structure and still define its street layout.
The settlement began in 1647 when Wildervanck dug two canals to extract peat from the bog. Peat extraction and later shipping became its main industries through the 18th and 19th centuries, eventually replaced by potato starch and grain processing factories.
The village is served by a railway line reconnected to Groningen in 2011, making it accessible by train. A museum in the center offers insights into local history, and walking or cycling paths follow the canal network throughout the area.
A heritage railway line called Museumspoorlijn STAR has operated steam trains between three towns since 1992, passing through the village. The town once hosted a professional football club that included notable Dutch coaches among its players before closing in 2013.
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