IJmuiden is a fairly new town, that only came into existence in 1870 when the North Sea Canal was dug, connecting the Amsterdam harbors to the open sea.
Until this time the area where IJmuiden now is located was known as "De Breesaap", a desolate plain where only a hand full of farmers tried to make a living. In 1851 the whole area was sold to the entrepreneurs Bik and Arnold, which finally set into motion the plans that had been drawn up already in 1626. The first spade hit the ground on the 8th of April 1865.
The "Noordzeekanaal" connects the North Sea with the IJ in Amsterdam. The IJmuiden name literally means 'mouth of the IJ', which is a hint to the importance the town has for the Amsterdam harbor. In 1890 it had about 1500 inhabitants, but boomed when the iron mill industry Hoogovens steelworks settled here.
The town is part of the municipality of Velsen and suffered heavy damage and demolition in the war years because of its maritime importance. Already in the Roman era this Velsen was inhabited and archeological finds indicate there was a North Sea port built of regional importance.
Important sights are the municipal hall designed by the famous architect Dudok and the North Sea locks. The latter are among the largest in the world and one set is able to close off a shipping lane of 50 meters wide and 12 meters deep. There are however plans to enlarge or build a new set to facilitate even larger vessels.
