Harkema

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Harkema, also known as De Harkema in West Frisian, is a village in the Achtkarspelen municipality in Friesland, the Netherlands. It lies in the eastern part of Friesland, about 9 kilometers north of Drachten.

The village was first mentioned in 1530 as Opeyndt. The name Harkema means the settlement of the descendants of Buwe Harkema. In 1972, the name officially changed from Harkema-Opeinde to Harkema.

Harkema began as a peat-excavation settlement. Its original layout, made up of sod houses, disappeared in the 18th century and reappeared in the 19th century.

In 1840, 484 people lived in Harkema. Today it has about 4,300 residents. A church was opened in 1883 in a wooden shed, replaced by a proper church in 1891, and the current church was built in 1913.

In the 1960s, Harkema grew and started to attract industry. The village is home to the amateur football club Harkemase Boys and Harkema Opeinde.

Notable people from Harkema include cyclist Pieter Weening, the first Frisian to win a Tour de France stage, and former pro cyclist Wiebren Veenstra.