Heerjansdam
Appearance
Heerjansdam (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌɦeːrjɑnzˈdɑm] ) is a village in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It has a population of 3,590. It is a former municipality that merged with Zwijndrecht in 2003.[1]
History
It was originally called "Heren Heyenland", a name which first appeared in a document from 1323. In 1331, Hendrik of Brederode started to build dikes around the Zwijndrechtse Waard. This project was financed by eight other persons, including Jan of Rosendaele, who subsequently were made landlords of the Waard. On November 25, 1368, Jan of Rosendaele renamed it to Heerjansdam (Dutch for "Lord John's dam"), after the dam on the Waaltje.
Notable people born in Heerjansdam
- Pieter Beelaerts van Blokland (born 1932), Queen's Commissioner
- Meindert Leerling (born 1936), journalist and politician
- Johan Simons (born 1946), theater director