Exactly 120 years ago on January 14, the first tram ever stopped in Klazienaveen. An old boulder from the Rensenpark in Emmen has been transformed into a monument and is a lasting memory of that moment. The unveiling took place today.
“Three, two, one,” shouts Jans Jagt of the Historical Klazienaveen association. Together with some colleagues, he pulls a golden sheet off the boulder. There is a plaque on the stone with the date that the tram first ran, and next to it is an information board. The stone has been placed near the Langestraat and the north side of the Van Echtenskanaal. “We worked hard for this, it’s great that it worked out.”
Historical Klazienaveen is the driving force behind the memorial sign. “Klazienaveen was quite closed off from the outside world at the beginning of the 20th century,” says Jagt. “That changed with the arrival of the steam tram. Coevorden and Zwolle were suddenly within reach.”
According to him, the monument honors the important milestone in the history of the village. The unveiling was therefore held at a special time, namely 11.56 am. “That was the exact moment the tram entered Klazienaveen.”