Stoomhoutzagerij Nahuis
Listed steam-powered sawmill in Groenlo where steam engines can be seen in operation on selected days.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
As early as around 1850 a wheelwright's workshop stood on this site in Groenlo, making cartwheels from oak from the surrounding area; the wood was sawn by hand at the time, for example over a pit with a frame saw. In 1877 J. Nahuis bought the present plot on the Groot Walterbosch and moved from Beltrum to Groenlo. From 1884 the business had its own connection to the GOLS railway line, so that logs could be brought in from farther away and goods sold more quickly.
In 1918 the manual operation became the Stoomhoutzagerij J. Nahuis: a horizontal single-cylinder steam engine from 1897, brought from Mönchengladbach, now drove two sawing machines via belts. In 1974 the Polygoonjournaal devoted a report to the business as "the only steam sawmill in the Netherlands". The business closed in 1977. After extensive renovation it reopened its doors on 11 November 1993, and in 1994 the sawmill was granted the status of a Rijksmonument.
Today a team of volunteers presents the works as a living industrial monument. On steam days the machines run; at other times the museum explains wood drying, woodworking and the technical history of steam power, complemented by an interactive museum game. The boiler house and steam boiler are currently being repaired and renovated, with funding from ELFPO, Cultuurfonds and Leader, among others.
Highlights
- Steam engine from 1897 and historic sawing machines
- Rijksmonument since 1994
- Machines run on selected steam days
- Interactive museum game through the machine hall
- Tour on wood drying and woodworking
Permanent exhibitions
- Technische historie – The steam power of the Industrial Revolution and its influence on life and work, shown through the sawmill's machines.
- Hout en drogen – Explains how drying improves the quality and durability of wood, and how this is done in the sawmill.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
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| Children & teens | €4free up to age 3 · Children up to 12 years €4; children up to and including 3 years free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Companions of visitors with disabilities have free admission. |
| Groups | –Registration is not required; for groups of more than about 30 people the museum asks to be notified. An additional visiting day is possible by arrangement; costs depend on group size. |
Prices for the steam days ("Onder stoom").
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 3 |
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- Hands-on stations
The interactive museum game explains how steam engines work, even when they are not running.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
The sawmill is available for special events; enquiries via the museum's contact page.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | Registration is not required for individual visitors. On days without steam operation there is, according to the website, still plenty to see (wood drying, woodworking, technical history, interactive museum game). |
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