History

Earnewâld is a regional waterfront village that originated on the Earnewâldster Wiid after the Middle Ages. In the centuries when traffic and transportation were still mainly by water, the village was well connected.
In the Tegenwoordige Staat van Friesland in 1786 it was reported: The smallest and remotest village of the entire province. The church of this village has a stumpy tower, and few houses around the church, also only 13 voting places. There is no road to this village; so one can only get there by land, in the middle of a dry summer, over the low Garypster lands; but the waterway is very convenient and pleasant, because all ships from Drachten, Oudega, Smallenee and Beetsterzwaag have to pass by here, to get to Leeuwarden via Wartena. Only after World War II would a road be built to the remote village for the first time.

Ielfisker statue

Earnewâld used to be primarily a village of fishermen, boatmen, farmers and cane cutters. The statue of the ielfisker recalls the Earnewâldster ancestors. ‘Ielfisker’ is Frisian for eel fisherman. The sculpture is made of lava rock and can be found on the north side passer-by harbor

Rider image

Earnewâld is a real skating village, its sheltered watery surroundings lend themselves perfectly to skating on natural ice in winter. Earnewâld often has the scoop when it comes to organizing tours on natural ice, and if the ice is strong enough the village organizes one of the natural ice classics. In honor of this, there is the Riders statue. ‘Riders’ is Frisian for skaters. With three winners of the natural ice classic the “100 fan Earnewâld” skating behind each other, this work of art floats on the water opposite the harbor.

Otter statue

After the last Otter was killed in 1989, several otters were reintroduced into National Park De Alde Feanen in 2011. In recent years, the population has slowly expanded. The presence of these animals are a crowning achievement of the nature manager ‘It Fryske Gea’ Near the old lock is the Otter statue.

Churches of Earnewâld

The Reformed church was built in 1906 . The church has a very unusual pulpit shaped like the prow of a skûtsje. The Dutch Reformed Church was built in 1794, with a 1699 pulpit. In it is carved the coat of arms of Earnewâld, an eagle with two heads. The start times of services are posted at the entrance.