Genemuiden is a city in the municipality of Zwartewaterland with about 10000 inhabitants. The city is on the Black Water and is the second largest city of Northwest Overijssel, also known as the Kop van Overijssel. Only the cities Kampen and Steenwijk are larger.
In 1275, Genemuiden received city rights from Jan van Nassau. Bishop Jan van Arkel gave the town the right to swear about the Black Water against an annual supply of sixty pounds of laundry for candles. In 1382 one was granted the right to hold three annual markets. The place became rich and built a town hall.
Beekeeping was practiced in Genemuiden from the 16th century. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the processing of bushes became a major source of income for the city. Particularly the manufacture of seat seats (by chairmatters) was an important activity. This was done in the form of homework. After the Second World War, coconut mats were transferred. After 1965, the decline of this type of mat began and the fabrication of soft flooring began. In Genemuiden this has developed the modern carpet industry, which produced more than half of all Dutch wool and nylon floor coverings in 2010. Nowadays there is also a lot of artificial grass for sports fields in Genemuiden.
Every year, on the third Tuesday in October, the 'biestemmerk' is held in Genemuiden. Originally this was an annual market where animals were sold. At the Havenplein (the central square of Genemuiden), the venue for the bi-brand will be celebrated. It is a tradition to eat on the day of the biestake (either pea soup). Grafhorst has a smaller edition of the bi-brand, where it is a tradition to eat eel.
