Did you know the street Am Weidedamm got its name from a pasture? This pasture was used by all citizens. The street’s name also refers to the dam that ran alongside the Torfkanal. This dam eventually became the street we know today.
Am Weidedamm is a key road in Bremen-Findorff. It runs through the Weidedamm area. The road goes from Neukirchstrasse near Torfhafen to the Bremen-Hamburg railway line. It also leads to canoe and boat harbors. The street is about 1500 meters long.
Let’s delve into the history of Am Weidedamm. In 1159, Archbishop Hartwig I mentioned Findorff as common pastureland. This included Bürgerpark and Stadtwald. All citizens could use it. In 1914, the street was named after this pasture. It also got its name from the dam along the Torfkanal.
The western part of Am Weidedamm was drained in the Middle Ages. Ditches were used. This area became Bürgerweide Kämpe. It was used for fields and gardens.
In 1750, a Bremen merchant created a summer residence south of Bürgerweide Kämpe. By 1802, it became a popular destination. From 1817 to 1826, the Torfkanal was built in Findorff. The Torfhafen was built near the Plantage.
Peat was transported from Teufelsmoor to Findorff via the canal. This peat was important for heating. In 1847, a new harbor basin was built. It was called Theodor-Heuss-Allee. The Torfhafen was moved in 1873. It was placed between Eickedorfer and Neukirchstrasse.
Construction began on Am Weidedamm in 1907. In 1995, the Weidedamm III area was developed with different house types. This happened after the area was cleared. The Grundschule Am Weidedamm opened in 2001.
In 1999, the Weidedamm area had 11,268 residents. Today, Am Weidedamm is mainly residential. Most buildings are one to four stories high. The street wasn’t heavily damaged during the war.
Several buildings and sites are noteworthy. These include the historic Torfhafen. Number 2 is a two-story house built around 1907. It features a round bay window. Numbers 4 to 7 are four two-story houses. They were built around 1907 with gabled fronts. Numbers 8 and 9 are two two-story houses. They have side gabled projections from around 1907. Numbers 9 to 19 are two-story houses. They were built around 1907 and later. They are in the Bremen style.
Number 20 is a one to five-story school building. It was built in 1963 and 1966. It was originally a school for social professions. Later, it became the Hochschule für Sozialpädagogik und Sozialökonomie. Ludwig Almstadt designed it. Today, it is home to the Landesinstitut für Schule. Since 2011, the new Schule Am Weidedamm has been a two-track primary school. It has around 200 students. There is also a bus library. A fountain from 1966 by Alice Peters-Jonescu is located here too.
Numbers 30 to 44 are newer one-story row houses. They were built after 1970. Number 43 is a five-story apartment building. At Kasseler Str. 37, you’ll find the five-story Weidedamm residential complex. It is owned by Studierendenwerk Bremen and offers 165 spaces. The bus lines 26 and 27 are nearby. They stop at Findorffallee. Bus line 25 has a terminus at Weidedamm-Süd. It is located on Utbremer Ring.
Am Weidedamm has transformed over the years. It evolved from pastureland to a vital residential street.