40 Vintage Photographs That Show Life in Marken, Netherlands during the Early 20th Century

Marken is a village in the Waterland and Zaan Region, North Holland, Netherlands on a peninsula in the IJsselmeer lake. It is known for its characteristic wooden houses and traditional costumes. It used to be an island in the former Zuiderzee, but is now connected to the mainland by a causeway.

For some time during the later 19th and early 20th centuries, Marken and its inhabitants were the focus of considerable attention by folklorists, ethnographers and physical anthropologists, who regarded the small fishing town as a relic of the traditional native culture that was destined to disappear as the modernization of the Netherlands gained pace.

Here, a collection of 40 fascinating vintage photographs that capture everyday life in Marken from 1900 to 1920: