Huizen is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The name "Huizen" is Dutch for "houses" and this usage has been linked to the belief that the first stone houses in the region appeared here. Huizen originally was a coastal village, with a thriving fishing industry. After the draining of the Zuider Zee, the old sea was degraded to a mere freshwater lake, and economical activities shifted towards industry and commerce.