"Em" means around, "sen" refers to a stone building, and "rode" is common part of village names in the Netherlands, often located close to forests.

[2] The remains of a Roman villa are located in the forest Imsteraderbos, officially in the neighbouring village of Benzenrade.

[2] The villa eventually became a female monastery of the Medical Mission Sisters, who also built several other buildings in the region, and later became private property again.

[4] The farm and villa are located on the southern edge of the Imsteraderbos, a 65 hectare forest owned by Vereniging Natuurmonumenten.

In 1993 the school moved to a new location in Kerkrade and the building became a home for the elderly with the name Parc Imstenrade.