Hofmeyr

A side view of the Hofmeyr Post Office
Hofmeyr is a typical little Karoo town.  Imposing old Dutch Reformed Church keeping an eye over mostly dusty streets and a proud but struggling farming community.  Situated roughly halfway between Cradock and Steynsburg, the town with its less than 2000 people lies at an altitude of 1252 meters and in the heart of a once flourishing sheep farming district.  The town was founded in 1873 and, initially named Maraisburg, renamed Hofmeyr in 1911.  It was named in honour of Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr (Onze Jan), a campaigner for the equal treatment of Afrikaans and English and General Jan Smuts’ closet advisor.
The main road through Hofmeyr makes a turn in town and on the corner is a small park containing a couple of monuments.  One of those is a small pyramid that acts as a monument to the people from the district that took part in the Great Trek.
This bell also stands in the park.  I’m not sure if it was a town bell to call people together for meetings and in case of emergency or otherwise a slave or mission bell.  Probable the former.

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Avril

    I need a slap on the wrist for not popping in to visit for days!!!! Always full of interesting facts and photos!!! Love your proteas of many colours! Along the coast in Hermanus (two weeks ago) the yellow ones were in abundance – very pretty!I tried growing them years ago and gave up – our climate doesn't suit them and they tended to get overwatered being amongst other plants. The Sugar Bush is the one that grows here in the bush

  2. Caroline

    Intriguing. Another spot to visit one day if only I could interest hubby in stopping – he likes to get into a car and only get out when one arrives at the intended destination.

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