BY JONAS ZEUNER (1727-1814), 1791

Ouderhoek, was one of the first country houses to be built along the Vecht. The original building was erected in the early 17th century, and subsequently altered according to the fashion of the day. In 1717, Peter the Great visited Ouderhoek several times during has stay in Amsterdam. At Ouderhoek the Csar was served a pineapple for the first time - a rare fruit in those days! (A.J. van der Aa, Aardrijkskundig Woordenboek der Nederlanden, Gorinchem 1849, p. 676) The country house depicted by Zeuner was one of almost 200 such houses built by the wealthy Amsterdam patricians along the Vecht. These country houses were spread out along the riversides over a length of some 40 km. Ouderhoek was one of the many houses that was demolished in 1839 following the economic downturn in the 19th century.