Norg

Norg is an esdorp which developed in the Middle Ages on higher grounds.^[3] It was first mentioned in 1149 as Nurch. The etymology of the name is unknown.^[4] Norg contains six communal pastures around which houses were built.^[3] The Dutch Reformed Church is a 13th-century Romanesque church on the Church Brink, which has a saddle-roof tower.^[3]

Norg developed during the peat exploitation in the area.^[5] In 1931, "Vacantie en Rustoord Den en Duin" planned to build a large holiday resort in the forest near the village. Even though their plans did not come to fruition, several smaller resorts have been established in Norg.^[3]

On 8 April 1945, just before the liberation of Drenthe, eight members of the resistance were executed in the forest Oosterduinen near Norg.^[6] Ten others were executed in Bonhagen near Norg. In 1985, memorials were placed at the execution sites.^[7]

In the later part of the 20th century, the village started grow and became a suburb for the city of Groningen and Assen.^[5] Until 1 January 1998, Norg was an independent municipality. Since the municipal reorganisation of the province Drenthe, Norg is a part of the Noordenveld municipality.^[5]

In Norg there are two windmills. One of these, Noordenveld, is a corn mill and was built in 1878.^[3] The other, De Hoop, is the only windmill in the Netherlands with Bilau sails.^[8]

In 1912, a motocross circuit was laid out in the forests around Norg. The Grand Prix of Norg became an international motocross. In 1982, Norg organised its last Grand Prix.^[9][10]

• Andrea Bosman (born 1979), cyclist^[11]
• Jan Britstra (1905–1987), hurdler who competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics^[12]
• Jan Pieter Kuiper (1922–1985), professor social medicine^[13]

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  Windmill De Hoop
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  Village street
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  Oosterduinen monument
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  Norg motocross (1959)