Erica is a town in the north-eastern

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

. 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 Jan ...

. It started as a

peat Peat 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. ''Sphagnum'' moss, also called peat moss, is one of the most ...

and

buckwheat Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum'') or common buckwheat is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. Buckwheat originated around the 6th millennium BCE in the region of what ...

colony.

History

Erica was established in 1863. The first inhabitant came from Slagharen. A fuel shortage prompted large-scale efforts to drain the

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 Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum'') or common buckwheat is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. Buckwheat originated around the 6th millennium BCE in the region of what ...

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 A linear settlement is a (normally small to medium-sized) settlement or group of buildings that is formed in a long line. Many of these settlements are formed along a transport route, such as a road, river, or canal. Others form due to physical r ...

. 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 The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

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

greenhouse A greenhouse is a structure that is designed to regulate the temperature and humidity of the environment inside. There are different types of greenhouses, but they all have large areas covered with transparent materials that let sunlight pass an ...

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

Gallery

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