Schermer () is a former municipality in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, in the province of

North Holland North Holland ( nl, Noord-Holland, ) is a province of the Netherlands in the northwestern part of the country. It is located on the North Sea, north of South Holland and Utrecht, and west of Friesland and Flevoland. In November 2019, it had a ...

. The name came from "''skir mere''", which means "bright lake" (ref. Groenedijk, 2000). Since 2015 it has been a part of

Alkmaar Alkmaar () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland, about 30 km north of Amsterdam. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination. The ...

. The

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...

of Schermer included not only the Schermer

polder A polder () is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as dikes. The three types of polder are: # Land reclaimed from a body of water, such as a lake or the seabed # Flood plains ...

, but also the polders Oterleek, Mijzenpolder, and Eilandspolder.

History

Around 800 AD, the area that was the municipality of Schermer was covered in

peat Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially Decomposition, decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, Moorland, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and ...

, and a small river called the Schermer flowed through it. Because of peat-digging by man, and storm floods, this small river had by 1250 developed into an inland lake with an open connection with the

Zuyderzee The Zuiderzee or Zuider Zee (; old spelling ''Zuyderzee'' or ''Zuyder Zee'') was a shallow bay of the North Sea in the northwest of the Netherlands, extending about 100 km (60 miles) inland and at most 50 km (30 miles) wide, with an ov ...

. In the 17th century private investors started draining the largest part of the lake, leaving the southern part, the Alkmaardermeer, intact. In 1635, of polder was drained, whereupon the land was divided among the shareholders. In 1970, the village of Zuid- en Noord-Schermer was merged into Schermer.Ad van der Meer and Onno Boonstra, "Repertorium van Nederlandse gemeenten", KNAW, 2006.

Population centres

The municipality of Schermer consisted of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: Driehuizen, Grootschermer, Oterleek, Schermerhorn, Stompetoren, Zuidschermer. The latter two are located in the Schermer polder.

Topography

''Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Schermer, 2013.''

Local government

The municipal council of Schermer consisted of eleven seats, which were divided as follows: * CDA - 3 seats * Gemeentebelangen - 3 seats * SGOL - 2 seats * VVD - 2 seats * PvdA - 1 seat

References

External links

*{{commons category-inline
Official website
Alkmaar Polders of North Holland Former municipalities of North Holland Municipalities of the Netherlands disestablished in 2015