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Boelenslaan (The Netherlands)

Achtkarspelen municipality, Fryslân province

Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.flagchart.net

Boelenslaan village
Boelenslaan Coat of Arms

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Boelenslaan village

Boelenslaan / Boelensloane has 1186 inhabitants and apparenrly owes a lot to its founder, Mr. Boelens, after whom it was named. "Laan" - avenue; the road through the village used to be a sandy road and is still bearing the name Boelenslaan.
The village was founded in the 19th century. The houses used to belong to Surhuisterveen, on the "Feanster heide". Boelenslaan owed its foundation to peat-digging; the payment was poor and the citizens were known to be "red" - socialist. The poor people lived in "plaggenhutten", later in "wâldhûskes" (small cottages both). A model of a cottage (the golden triangle) is to be found on the village arms. The labour in the peat-fields is symbolized in implements used in the digging: a "klynmes" - to cut the peat out - and an "oplizzer" - to put peat-blocks on rows. Red symbolizes the heather and the courage of the villagers. Yellow is for the sandy soil.
The village is in the "Friese Wouden" the Frisian forests, indicated by the green shield-base. The house is anchored to the forest-soil. Green is the color of the trees and present-day meadows. The silver rose in the shield-base is derived from the Boelens family arms, which delivered several "grietmannen" - mayors - to the municipality of Achtkarspelen.
The flag has the same colors as the Coat of Arms. The house from the Coat of Arms is here red towards the hoist, not a cottage but a red brick-house. The yellow chevron suggests a plough-iron, which transformed the poor heather-soil into fertile agricultural land.The white rose reminds of the Boelens-family. The yellow chevron points at the prosperous future.
Source: Wapens en vlaggen in de gemeente Achtkarspelen, Buitenpost, 1999.

Boelenslaan Coat of Arms

from the Achtkarspelen municipal website.