Smilde is a town in the Netherlands' northern province of Drenthe and lies about 10 kilometers (6.2 mi) southwest of the province capital of Assen.

[4] Smilde is a elongated canal village which developed around 1770.

Between 1767 and 1780, the Drentsche Hoofdvaart [nl] was dug to excavate the peat in the area.

The first settlement was called Kloosterveen and was later renamed to Smilde.

[5] The Dutch Reformed church was built between 1780 and 1788 in Louis XVI style.