Herste was officially mentioned for the first time in 850. It is the most eastern district of Bad Driburg and still looks very rural because of its meadows in the village centre. The three streams that run through Herste – Aa, Katzbach and Hellebach – also contribute to this rural image. The Koerfer-Weg, which is bordered by fruit trees, leads you to the Koerfer Quelle through a varying landscape. The industrial park in the northern part of Herste is home to globally operating companies such as Linde Gas, Glaskoch (brand “Leonardo”), Ritzenhoff & Breker and also secures jobs in the whole region. Entrepreneur Carl Gustav Rommenhöller laid the foundation for the economic growth in Bad Driburg in 1894; he exploited the “Riesensprudel” in Herste, the first major carbon monoxide source. He is therefore regarded as founder of the carbon monoxide industry. The Rommenhöller Ehrenmal was built to commemorate him and another statue in the village, named “Kohlensäuremann”, reminds visitors of the carbon monoxide exploitation.
