The village was first mentioned in 1310 as "in Hesselrevene", and means "new bog".

[3] Nijeveen is a road village which started as a peat excavation settlement.

[4] In 1477, a piece of land was purchased by the farmers in the centre of the hamlet to build a church and clergy house.

[5] Since 1976 there is a German windmill named De Sterrenberg which has a cap winded by a fantail.

[4] Nijeveen was a separate municipality until 1998, when it was amalgamated with Meppel.