History of Goes

Goes was founded in the 10th century at the border of a river: de Korte Gos. The village grew fast and in the early 12th century there was a market square and a church devoted to Maria. In 1405 Goes received city rights, and in 1417 it was allowed to build walls around the city. The prosperity of the city is based up on cloth industry and the production of salt. In the 16th century Goes declined. The connection with the sea got bogged down and in 1544 a big fire destroyed a part of the city.

In 1577 the Spanish soldiers who occupied Goes where driven away by Prince Maurits of Nassau. The prince builds a defence wall around Goes, which is still partly present. In the centuries thereafter Goes didn't play an important role, except as an agricultural centre. In 1868 it got a railway, but this didn't lead to an industrialisation. The agricultural industry remains the most important activity.

The Second World War didn't damage Goes much. During the First World War seven bombs hit Goes and Kloetinge, even though The Netherlands weren't involved in the First World War, because of a mistake of a British airplane. In Goes a house at the Magdalenastreet was destroyed and one person killed. In the Second World War Goes was occupied until 1944.

Goes didn't grow until the 1970s and 1980s. The city grew fast because of new districts like Goese Meer, Oostmolenpark, Overzuid and Ouverture. Goes is now the fourth economic centre in Zeeland.

New districts are in preparation like Goese Schans, Mannee and Aria, where eventually 3,000 new houses will be available.

Population centers

• Eindewege
• Goes
• 's-Heer Arendskerke
• 's-Heer Hendrikskinderen
• Kattendijke
• Kloetinge
• Oud-Sabbinge
• Wilhelminadorp
• Wolphaartsdijk

Districts

• Centre Goes
• West Goes
• New West
• East Goes
• Noordhoek
• Goese Meer
• Goese Polder
• South Goes
• Overzuid
• Ouverture
• De Goese Poort (business area)
• De Poel (I, II, III en IV, business area)
• Klein Frankrijk (business area)
• Marconi (business area)
• Aria (developping)
• Mannee (developping)
• Goese Schans (developping)

Transportation

Railway Station: Goes

On the railway line between Vlissingen and Roosendaal.

See also

• Roel Felius
• Frank Harthoorn
• Guus Mulders

External links