
Full text loading...
Citizens on Watch
A search for and typology of the landscape remains of civilian shooting ranges in the Netherlands (1830-1940)
The 19th century was an important period in the history of the Netherlands. A lot of heritage from this period is still present in the landscape but is relatively underexposed. An important example of such heritage are the civilian militias. The main traces they left behind are shooting ranges. This article focuses on where these ranges were located and how we can look at these locations with the eyes of an historical geographer. Three important factors must be considered when constructing shooting ranges: safety, accessibility and affordability. These factors resulted in a preference for specific landscape types and elements. In turn, landscape types also influenced the typology of shooting ranges. The types can be classified into 11 groups based on the landscape in which they occur. This article provides a first geographical overview and a referential frame for the future researcher.