From duck decoy to campsite
Long ago, before the current estate was built, there was a farmhouse with a duck decoy in the orchard, which was in the service of the Lords of Terschelling, “the Popmas.”
On old maps this farmhouse is designated as “Z.G. Bouhuys,” the estate of His Grace. The remains of the old duck decoy can still be found on “the Kolk,” see campground map. In the past, the fruitgain from the orchards was retailed by the farmer by horse and cart.
The present farmhouse dates of 1880 and was built by order of captain C.A. Bakker (1841-1910), flag captain of the “Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland.” Captain Bakker is the great-great-grandfather of Dirk-Jan Moes , the current owner. The farmhouse is of the head-hull type and has two living rooms, which could be called exceptional for Terschelling that was poor at the time.
With a little consideration “De Kooi” can lay claim to the title of oldest campsite of Terschelling. Namely, in 1936, the brochure “The Praise of Schellingerland” published the historical advertisement announcing De Kooi as a camping site.