While they form a common municipality both the places are also identified individually.
A group of populated places form a rural municipality with local administration.
On December 25, 2010, the county and city merged to form a single special municipality.
These were amalgamated in 1967 to form the present municipality.
The two townships were joined to form a single municipality.
In two steps, 1969 and 1971 they were amalgamated to form the present municipality.
In 1971 the two entities were reunited to form the present municipality.
In 1921, there was a movement for Mortdale to form a separate municipality.
Together they have formed a new municipality, which is also called Schagen.
In the local self-government reform of 1994, the two centers united to form a single municipality.