Neuenhaus was founded in 1317 on the trade road between Münster and Amsterdam by Bentheim’s Count Johannes II, who also had a castle built for its security.

Today’s town of Neuenhaus was enlarged in 1970 through the amalgamation of the formerly autonomous communities of Grasdorf, Hilten and Veldhausen, the last of which had already existed as early as the 10th century.

By building two weirs on the Vechte and another on the river Dinkel, the flooding that had so often beset Neuenhaus in earlier years was brought under control.

The cycling paths are very well signposted (a roughly 250 km network throughout the district) and lead through meadows and woods as well as alongside the rivers Vechte and Dinkel.

Neuenhaus’s arms might heraldically be described thus, although the wavy bend parting is considered to be unheraldic: Party per bend wavy sinister, in gules a war tent argent surmounted by a crown argent, in the chief sinister four orbs Or, in Or a house gules with stepped gables and tower on the peak of the roof.

The greater charge in the red part of the shield is a Dutch baron’s war tent, and the four orbs next to it stand for the Counts of Bentheim.