Facts about Klerksdorp
Category Lifestyle
Klerksdorp is a buzzing city that attracts many homeowners and tourists. This is a result of the types of property and the rich heritage they are exposed to. The city is a hot spot for younger buyers who aim to flourish their careers in the mining and agricultural industries. Older homeowners, on the other hand, enjoy the tranquility offered in one of the many lovely suburbs. These great facts about Klerksdorp will give potential residents a better understanding of the area.
The early days
The area that is now called Klerksdorp is speculated to have been inhabited by people from the Early Stone Age as long ago as 2 million years. It was then occupied by people from the Iron Age some 1000 years ago.
Discovered in the 1800s
The first White inhabitant was Hendrik Grobler. He settled next to Skoonspruit which later become the farm of Elandsheuwel. Klerksdorp was founded in 1837, more than 180 years ago. It is recorded as one of the oldest European settlements in the old Transvaal province of South Africa. The town was first named "Clerqsdorp", after the first magistrate North of the Vaal River, and later renamed to "Klerksdorp".
The town's first shop, or trading post back then, was opened in 1865 by James A. Taylor. Gold was detected near the town in 1886 by M.G. Jansen van Vuuren. This led to thousands of fortune seekers flocking to the area. The town even had its own stock exchange and 70 taverns at the time. Opportunists, however, moved away as sophisticated equipment was required to mine the gold. Originally named The Klerksdorp Mining Record, The Klerksdorp Record has been published since August 1899.
Flowing with resources
Klerksdorp is the thriving economic heart of the North West Province. It is considered as the hub of the South African gold mining industry and is a significant contributor to the agricultural industry. Aside from being home of the largest maize silo in South Africa, sorghum, groundnuts and sunflower seed are also cultivated in the area. Klerksdorp is also the preferred location of the substantial breeding of Sussex cattle. It is also home to the largest shopping centre in the North West Province, the Matlosana Mall.
From prison to museum
With the discovery of gold came the rise of the crime rate. This led to the need for a prison to be built in 1891. The beautiful sandstone building was used as a prison until 1973. In 1975 the first group of personnel was appointed and the Museum was officially opened on Wednesday 26 January 1977. Today, the Klerksdorp Museum houses archaeological and geological exhibitions, a variety of displays based on the region's cultural and agricultural past, as well as the town's heritage.
Provincial Heritage Site
The Goudkoppie ('Gold Hill') has been recognized as the city's latest tourist attraction and a provincial heritage site. This monumental hill is the site of the remnants of 19th-century mining. Visitors will also find remains of Sotho and Tswana homesteads and stone-age tools scattered across the hill. There is also a replica of a British blockhouse that was used in the Second Anglo-Boer War. It is situated near both the N12 highway and the Johannesburg-Cape Town railway line.
The gift of game
In 1970, the Town Council of Klerksdorp bought 320 ha of land from Faan Meintjes. The animals on the farm at the time were donated to the council and in recognition of his kind deed, the reserve was proclaimed the Faan Meintjes Nature Reserve. Today, the reserve is home to more than 41 mammal species, such as oryx, waterbuck, lots of impalas and red hartebeests, and other Acacia bushveld species like the giraffe.
For career advancement, a peaceful lifestyle, or just property investment, Klerksdorp is breaking all barriers. Contact RealNet Klerksdorp today for more information.
Author: RealNet
