Broekhuizen
A Tale of Two Villages:
Broekhuizen en Broekhuizenvorst
 

The Post-War Years Till the Present Day
The war had a devastating effect on the two villages: out of a total of approximately 200 houses 65 were completely destroyed whereas only 14 survived the war without any damage. The first decade after the war was a difficult period, aggravated by the shortage of (building) materials, tools and equipment.

However, with enthusiasm the thread of life was taken up and development gained momentum by the year.

In the 1960s major projects such as the building and extension of the road network and the construction of a new sewer system were carried out. In the 1970s the centres of both Broekhuizen and Broekhuizenvorst were fully renovated: mosaics of cobblestones combined with gas lamps brought back the nostalgic atmosphere that reminds the residents of the past.

Broekhuizen Village Center
The village center
Meanwhile agriculture - which had dominated village life for centuries - gradually lost its importance. Many a modern villager no longer finds his/her employment in agriculture or horticulture: increasing numbers of well-educated and skilled men and women find work in the processing and service industries in the neigbouring cities of Venlo and Venray.

In order to survive in this era of rationalisation, the remaining farms had to specialize and grow bigger. The last two decades thus witnessed the rise of factory farming, mainly pig and cattle breeding with the inevitable negative impact on the environment. Measures by both the national government and local authorities now discourage farmers from either building new stables or extending existing ones.

Broekhuizen as seen from the ferry.
Broekhuizen as seen from the ferry.
On the brink of the new millennium the municipality of Broekhuizen has become a commuter village, where people can still enjoy the advantages of life in the country combined with all the conveniences of modern life. This will not change when - in January 2000 - it will give up its independence but maintain its characteristics.

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