Around the time that the Van Gogh family went to Helvoirt, it was plagued by dysentery, an epidemic that claimed the lives of 30 Helvoirt residents and which was finally conquered with much effort. At the time, Dr Nicolaas Landman was the doctor in Helvoirt. He was partly responsible for getting the pump house built to guarantee the residents a better water supply. The pump house also served as a sort of news kiosk. Message and notifications of sales, for example, were stuck to it.
The pump house was demolished in 1927 once the water works were constructed. After that, ‘Harmonie Kunst Adelt’ built a bandstand on the spot. That was demolished in 1959, so that the 'Pomphuiske’ could eventually be restored to its former glory in 1984.
After Helvoirt was plagued by an epidemic, Dr Nicolaas Landman ensured for better a water supply via this pump house.
