Aggeneys
One hundred kilometres east of Carolusberg on the road between Springbok and Pofadder road, Aggeneys (place of water) is a copper, zinc, silver and lead mining community. Set in an…
Alexander Bay
After diamonds were discovered along the west coast in 1925, Alexander Bay was known for its mining activities. The resulting ‘diamond rush’ led to the Diamond Coast rebellion of 1928.
Augrabies
The small town of Augrabies is situated on the banks of the Orange River about 100km from Upington.
Barkly West
The discovery of diamonds at Klipdrift on the Vaal River in 1869 drew thousands of prospectors. The area was renamed Barkly West in 1873 after becoming part of the Crown Colony of…
Brandvlei
Brandvlei was developed near the dry river bed of the Sak River in the heart of Bushmanland where “Ou Brand”, a 19th century trekboer, settled. The tow…
Britstown
Named after Hans Brits, who accompanied David Livingstone on a venture to the interior and then settled on the farm, Gemsbokfontein.
Calvinia
Calvinia, founded in 1851 on the banks of the stunning Oorlogskloof River and named after religious reformer John Calvin, lies at the foot of the dolerite-topped Hantam Mountains (Hantam…
Campbell
Renowned for its spectacular dolomite rock formations, many springs, Karee and Wild Olive trees, Campbell has a multifaceted history and has been home to San, Koranna and, later, Griqua settlers…
Carnarvon
Communities of Xhosa moved up to the Orange River as early as 1795. One group subsequently settled at Schietfontein, which was served by a Rhenish mission, and a village named Harmsfontein…
Colesberg
Surrounded by koppies and flanked by the towering Coleskop, when the sun slips to the horizon, brushing the skies with brilliant hues, Coleskop’s former name, Toverberg (Magic Mountain), seems m…
Concordia
During the Anglo-Boer War the Boers used Concordia as their headquarters while Okiep was under siege. Some old Cornish style houses still remain as well as the original granery, used…
Danielskuil
Other sources quote ‘Koup’ and ‘Tlakalatlou’ (seTswana for ‘elephant’s reed’) as its name. The name, ‘Daniel’s Den’ was first found in documents by the missionary, Campbell, in 1820. The name derives from a…
De Aar
De Aar, the third largest town in the Northern Cape, is centrally located on the main railway line between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Namibia and tarred roads to…
Delportshoop
The historical settlements of Sydney-on-Vaal and Longlands.
Dibeng
The town has very strong Dutch Reformed roots, the congregations at Kuruman, Kathu and Olifantshoek having seceded from the original congregation in Dibeng.
Douglas
The town was founded in 1848 as a mission station on the farm Backhouse, by the Reverend Isaac Hughes. In 1867, a group of Europeans from Griquatown signed an agreement giving them…
Fraserburg
Named after a Scottish cleric and immigrant, Rev Colin Fraser, and a certain church elder, Meyburg, Fraserburg was founded in the West Nuweveld in 1851.
In 1870 the first attorney, HWA Cooper…
Garies
In 1845, Garies sprang up on land given to the Dutch Reformed Church by the owner of the farm Goedeverwagting. Originally named after the farm, its present name, a Khoisan word…
Griquatown
Their leaders were Adam Kok II and Andries Waterboer. In 1813, at the instigation of Rev John Campbell, the ‘bastaards’ renamed themselves Griqua, and the place called Klaarwater became Griquatown.
Groblershoop
Founded in 1936 and named after a former Minister of Agriculture, Groblershoop is a farming and administrative centre in the Orange River Valley, east of Upington.
Hanover
Once part of the Graaff-Reinet district and known as Bo-Zeekoeirivier. As the farming community grew, a community centre was needed and, in 1854, the 8 656ha farm, Petrusvallei, was bought for 33 333 Rixdollars …
Hartswater
Laid out in 1934 as a town serving the northern section of the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme, Hartswater’s growth has been nurtured by its irrigation canals and is surrounded by trees a…
Hondeklip Bay
Formerly a favoured holiday destination for farmers, fishermen and divers, Hondeklip Bay is separated from Springbok by 104km of gravel road, the Messelpad Pass and Soebatsfontein, a quaint village built…
Hopetown
A servant was told it represented hope and made an imitation from tin which was nailed to the farm entrance. In 1866 a diamond, ‘Eureka’, was found and, in 1868, on the far…