It is a part of the municipality of Midden-Drenthe, and lies about 13 km south of Assen, the province capital of Drenthe.

[3] Hijken developed as an esdorp originally without a church in the Early Middle Ages as a satellite of Beilen.

In 1915, a steam dairy factory which doubled as grist mill was built.

Between 1928 and 1960, it was used as a Dutch Reformed church and is nowadays used by a fodder and fertilizer company.

Late Neolithic Hat graves have been discovered dating to a Bronze Age settlement near Hijken.