Close up on blossoming red tulips against a blue sky

by Photo Henk van Dijk

Close up of flowering red tulips against a blue sky. Photo taken in the Schermer polder near Alkmaar.
The Schermer Polder is a polder in the former large lake area in the current Dutch province of North Holland. As one of the last large lakes the Schermeer was dried up between 1633 and 1635. The drying plant used to be located in the former municipality of Schermer, but has been part of the municipality of Alkmaar since 1 January 2015. The name is derived from the drying plant, which is larger than just the polder area of the drying plant. The board of the drying plant met in Schermerhorn in the Noorderpolderhuis.
In the 17th century, many lakes in the present province of North Holland were dried up. These were private companies, often with a dual purpose. On the one hand, the large lakes were a threat to the surrounding cities, on the other hand the reclamation gave new fertile farmland because of the clay soil that could be leased. After the resounding success of the Beemster, plans were also made to drain the other lakes. Eventually, in 1633, a plan was also made to drain the Schermeer. This undertaking was completed in 1635.