Villa Enkhuizen is a listed monument with a rich history. The Snouck van Loosen family was a well-known merchant family in Enkhuizen. Margaretha Maria (1807-1885) was the youngest of six daughters.
Margaretha Maria, heiress of the Snouck van Loosen family, bequeathed the larger part of the eight million guilders family fortune to charity. Part of the money was used to build and maintain workers homes in the Snouck van Loosenpark. In 1897 this resulted in fifty affordable rental houses and one caretaker’s house (Villa Enkhuizen). The name Snouck van Loosen became a household word in Enkhuizen. Compared to during her lifetime Margaretha Maria is now a well-known lady in the area.
In those days the houses, with a front and a back garden, were considered spacious. The residents had to adhere to certain communal rules and had to keep the houses tidy. Pets were strictly prohibited. So was wallpapering the houses, which was the Snouck van Loosen Foundation’s responsibility. The caretaker had keys to all the houses, so that he could check on residents if necessary.
Besides the fifty-one houses the park had and has more to offer. Up to the 1930s it had a playground, which was later replaced by an aviary. The aviary didn’t just house birds, but also monkeys.
Since 1981 the Snouck van Loosenpark is a national heritage site. The park is still administered by the council. The houses now belong to a housing cooperative.
Since June 2015 Villa Enkhuizen houses a Bed & Breakfast. The owner, Ingrid Mol, offers her guests a warm welcome.
