Erica (also ''Nieuw-Slagharen'') is a town in the north-eastern Netherlands. It is located in Emmen,

Drenthe Drenthe () is a province of the Netherlands located in the northeastern part of the country. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and the German state of Lower Saxony to the east. As of Nov ...

. It started as a peat and buckwheat colony.

History

Erica was established in 1863. The first inhabitant came from

Slagharen Slagharen is a village in the municipality of Hardenberg in the province of Overijssel, Netherlands. The village started as a peat excavation village. It is known for the Attractiepark Slagharen, an amusement park. History In 1832, the Lutterhoo ...

. A fuel shortage prompted large-scale efforts to drain the peat in the area and cut them for fuel. People were drawn to the area and canals were dug, both to drain the peat and to transport the cuts. Buckwheat was farmed on the drained peats. It was originally called Nieuw-Slagharen, but has been renamed Erica after the heath plant. Erica started as a linear settlement. In 1867, the was dug, and a second settlement was constructed. Later, the two were merged. Many of the early inhabitants of Erica came from neighbouring Germany and were Roman Catholic, and in 1866, a Catholic church was built. The current church dates from 1933. In 1932, Erica was home to 2,663 people. In 1897, the windmill ''

De Heidebloem De Heidebloem (English: '' Heather flower'') is a smock mill in Erica, Netherlands. It was built in 1895. The mill is listed as a Rijksmonument, number 14962. History The mill was built by millwright Huberts of Coevorden in 1897. It replaced ...

'' was constructed. It was restored in 1978, and is still in use to grind grain. In the 1960s,

greenhouse A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse, or, if with sufficient heating, a hothouse) is a structure with walls and roof made chiefly of Transparent ceramics, transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic condit ...

cultivation started in Erica. Erica can reached via the A37 motorway.

Gallery

File:Molen De Heidebloem, Erica (3).jpg, Mill ''

'' File:Exterieur overzicht voorgevel met Jugendstil -details en daklijst met balustrade, rechter zijgevel - Erica - 20323163 - RCE.jpg, Jugendstil house in Erica File:RM 510959 Kerk Erica.jpg, Church File:Exterieur OVERZICHT PLAGGENHUT BIJ HET KANAAL - Erica - 20309407 - RCE.jpg, Sod house near the canal (1997)

References

{{Authority control Populated places in Drenthe Emmen, Netherlands 1863 establishments in the Netherlands