Meerzorg
village, resort and planatation in Commewijne, Suriname
Meerzorg (Sranan Tongo: Ansu) is a town and resort (municipality) in Suriname, located on the eastern bank of the Suriname River, directly opposite the capital Paramaribo. Its population at the 2012 census was 12,405. Since 2000 it has been connected to Paramaribo by the Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge, named after the former President Jules Wijdenbosch.
History
Meerzorg is named after the sugar plantation Meerzorg. The plantation was founded at the end of the 17th century, and was originally called Plantage Amsinck. On 10 October 1712, Jacques Cassard captured the plantation for France, and threatened Paramaribo across the Suriname river. Negotiations started, and on 27 October Cassard left with ƒ747,350 (€8.1 million in 2018) worth of goods and slaves. To protect Paramaribo and Commewijne from future attacks, Fort Nieuw-Amsterdam was constructed, and opened in 1747.
On 15 March 1907, the plantation owners announced a grand plan: a tram line would be laid between Spieringshoek and Meerzorg, the United Fruit Company would start loading bananas at a new wharf, and a steamboat ferry would connect Meerzorg with Paramaribo. On 26 August 1907, the plans were cancelled, and the owner was thinking of selling the plantation.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Meerzorg” as village, resort and planatation in Commewijne, Suriname. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the places & architecture register because the source frames it as village, resort and planatation in Commewijne, Suriname. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 26, 2024. The linked authority identifier is Q1018882. Authority coordinates are 5.807, -55.147. None of the 1 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2012, 2000, 1712 and 2018.
Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Meerzorg”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Meerzorg primary sources, Meerzorg archive and Meerzorg research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Meerzorg”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Meerzorg” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.