Graafstroom (former municipality)

The Alblasserwaard (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɑlblɑsərˌʋaːrt]) is a polder in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is mainly known for the windmills of Kinderdijk, located near the village of Kinderdijk in the polder's northwestern part.

Brandwijk is a small village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Molenlanden, and lies about 13 km west of Gorinchem. The statistical area "Brandwijk", which also includes the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 290.Brandwijk was a separate municipality between 1817 and 1986, when it became part of Graafstroom. Last one has become part of Molenwaard in 2013.

Gijbeland is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Molenlanden. In 2001, the village of Gijbeland had 435 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town was 0.068 km2, and contained 183 residences. The statistical area "Gijbeland", which also can include the peripheral parts of the village, as well as the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 930.

The Donkse Laagten is a small Dutch nature reserve of roughly two square kilometres in the Alblasserwaard in the province of South Holland. It is located in the municipality of Molenlanden, between the towns Streefkerk to the northwest and Bleskensgraaf to the south. The area is governed by the organization Staatsbosbeheer. There is no public transportation to the Donkse Laagten, but it is open for recreational use. The Donkse Laagten is mainly notable for three things: It is a site of relative importance in bird conservation and protection. There are three duck decoys. It is one of the roughly 40 sites in the Netherlands where it is legal to camp in the wild, as authorized by Staatsbosbeheer and several other organizations. In 2002 and again in 2006 the area was in the national news for first sightings and later the capture of a Common snapping turtle, which is not native to the area and is considered somewhat dangerous.During the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth crisis, which spread to the Netherlands, the area was one of the nature reserves to be closed in order to prevent danger to humans.

Molenlanden (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmoːlə(n)ˌlɑndə(n)]) is a municipality in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. The municipality was created on 1 January 2019 by merging the municipalities of Giessenlanden en Molenwaard. It is located east of Rotterdam along the Lek. The World Heritage Site of Kinderdijk is in the gemeente. Its largest population centers are Nieuw-Lekkerland and Giessenburg. The municipality includes the settlements of Arkel, Bleskensgraaf, Brandwijk, De Donk, Gelkenes, Gijbeland, Giessen-Oudekerk, Giessenburg, Goudriaan, Graafland, Groot-Ammers, Hofwegen Hoogblokland, Hoornaar, Kinderdijk, Kooiwijk, Langerak, Liesveld, Molenaarsgraaf, Nieuw-Lekkerland, Nieuwpoort, Noordeloos, Ottoland, Oud-Alblas, Schelluinen, Streefkerk, Vuilendam, Waal, and Wijngaarden.

Molenwaard (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmoːlə(ɱ)ˌʋaːrt]) is a former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the southeastern part of the province of South Holland, and the northwestern part of the region of Alblasserwaard. It was the result of a merger of the municipalities of Graafstroom, Liesveld, and Nieuw-Lekkerland on 1 January 2013. On 1 January 2019 it merged with Giessenlanden, together they form the new municipality of Molenlanden. Molenwaard had about 29,000 inhabitants and an area of about 126 km2 (49 sq mi). The largest settlements are Bleskensgraaf, Groot-Ammers, and Nieuw-Lekkerland. Molenwaard can be characterized as a landscape of polders existing of vast pastures traversed by ditches and canals, like the Groote- of Achterwaterschap, and the Ammersche Boezem. In the outermost northwest one can find the famous windmills of Kinderdijk. About 1.5 m below sea level, the municipality is bordered by the Lek river in the north and briefly the Noord river in the west. On its area flows the Graafstroom or the Alblas. Religiously, the municipality is part of the Bible Belt, resulting in the dominance of the Christian parties in politics.

Hofwegen is a hamlet in Molenlanden, which is a municipality in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is located on the south bank of the small river Graafstroom. It is now considered to be part of the village of Bleskensgraaf, which lies on the opposite bank. Hofwegen was a separate municipality between 1817 and 1855, when it became part of the municipality of Bleskensgraaf en Hofwegen. In 1986, Bleskensgraaf en Hofwegen became part of the municipality of Graafstroom. Last one has become part of the new municipality of Molenwaard in 2013.

Bleskensgraaf is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Molenlanden, and lies about 10 km northeast of Dordrecht. It has an area of 1272 hectares. On 1 January 2009 Bleskensgraaf and Hofwegen had 2797 inhabitants in 936 residences.Until 1855, Bleskensgraaf was a separate municipality. In 1855 the heerlijkheid or seigniory Bleskensgraaf and the heerlijkheid or seigniory 'Hofwegen' merged into one municipality named 'Bleskensgraaf and Hofwegen'. In 1986 it became the new municipality Graafstroom together with 6 adjacent towns. The town hall of Graafstroom was located in Bleskensgraaf. From 2013 Graafstroom was part of Molenwaard, till 2019 when it merged into Molenlanden. The town got its name because of the landlord (count) "Willem van Blassekijn". Over the years the name Blassekijnsgraeve changed into Bleskensgraaf. On letters it often says "Bleskensgraaf CA". CA stands for the Latin phrase 'cum annexis' which means 'with surroundings'. The centre of Bleskensgraaf is made up out of new buildings. The old centre was bombarded during the Second World War at 06:25 on 12 May 1940. Seven people died and forty houses were destroyed. The town hall was leveled and the church sustained irreparable damage. The reconstruction was fast and took a couple of years. In September 1948 the new church officially opened and the new town hall opened on 12 May 1955. Old buildings that remain are a couple of windmills: the flour mill 'Molen de Vriendschap' (Friendship Mill) built in 1890 and two Hollow post mills, named the 'Hofwegense Molen' and the 'Wingerdse Molen' built in 1513, and many old farmhouses.

Molenaarsgraaf is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Molenlanden, and lies about 11 km west of Gorinchem. In 2001, the village of Molenaarsgraaf had 414 inhabitants. The built-up area of the village was 0.041 km², and contained 143 residences. The statistical area "Molenaarsgraaf", which also can include the peripheral parts of the village, as well as the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 1110.Molenaarsgraaf was a separate municipality until 1986, when it became part of Graafstroom. Latterly it has been part of Molenwaard since 2013. The village contains the War Grave of a Royal Air Force Avro Lancaster crew (less the pilot, who had parachuted to safety). Their names are recorded in Commonwealth War Graves web site as being killed on 22 May 1944. It is understood that their aircraft was shot down by a German night fighter.

Groot-Ammers is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Molenlanden, and is located about 13 km southeast of Gouda on the southside of the Lek River. In 2001, the town of Groot-Ammers had 2822 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town was 0.56 km², and contained 1059 residences. The statistical area "Groot-Ammers", which also includes the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 3100.

Liesveld (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈlisfɛlt] ) is a former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, and the region of Alblasserwaard. The former municipality had a population of 9,810 in 2006, and covered an area of 44.44 km² (17.16 mile²) of which 3.37 km² (1.30 mile²) was water. Since 2013 Liesveld had been a part of the new municipality of Molenwaard (ceased to exist in 2019). The former municipality of Liesveld was formed on 1 January 1986 from the former municipalities of Groot-Ammers, Langerak, Nieuwpoort, and Streefkerk. It consisted of the population centres Groot-Ammers, Langerak, Nieuwpoort, Streefkerk, and Waal. Its name is probably derived from a low-lying swampy area filled with reed grasses (Dutch: lies - Glyceria maxima) near Gelkenes. Castle Liesvelt was built on such a reedy field, giving its name to the Lords of Liesvelt, who owned lands within the municipality.

Laagblokland is a former hamlet in the Dutch province of South Holland. It was located in the former municipality of Graafstroom, between the villages of Molenaarsgraaf and Ottoland. Laagblokland was a separate municipality between 1817 and 1857, when it merged with Ottoland.