Leeghwater at Museum Pumping Station Wilhelmina
On Sunday, July 6, Museum Pumping Station Wilhelmina in Schermer opened its doors again. This atmospheric pumping station dates from 1928 and served until 1998. This summer season, the pumping station features an exhibition on Leeghwater and the Schermer polder.
The new exhibition was opened by Bob Kiel, chairman of the Leeghwater 450 project team and author of a booklet about this great North Hollander, who was born in De Rijp in 1575 - exactly 450 years ago now. In his speech, Mr. Kiel dwelt on the formation of the Schermerboezem in the sixteenth century. This boezem was drastically reduced by the Beemster and the other reclamation works during the first decades of the seventeenth century. Leeghwater was involved in all these reclamations as a technical advisor.
The exhibition pays special attention to the reclamation of the Schermeer, the last major inlet water, in the years 1633-1635. The administrator of the Schermerboezem, the old Hoogheemraadschap van de Uitwaterende Sluizen, insisted on the construction of large new drainage canals and sluices to compensate for the impoundment. As recently as 1649 - a year before his death - Leeghwater was called in to draw up a plan for a new outlet to the North Sea at Petten. The exhibition takes visitors by the hand through this fascinating story using old Maps and prints. Photographer and connoisseur of the area Alex Hendriks also took a series of beautiful photographs of the key locations of the time anno 2025.
Because as of mid-August the new Beatrix pumping station located next to the Museum pumping station will be renovated, the exhibition will be on display in the carpenter's shed of the Noorderpolderhuis starting Sunday, August 10. That is an equally atmospheric location that includes the oldest bowling alley in the world.
