Kareedouw is the first town you encounter when you travel into the Langkloof on Route 62 from the Port Elizabeth side. The name is thought to come from the KhoiSan word !karegadaob which means “A road past many Karee Trees”.
Kareedouw was established in 1905 as a Dutch Reformed Church congregation and I am assuming that is also the year that the church was built. If not then in the few years just after. I say assuming because I just can’t seem to find any more information about the church on the internet. The church can be found on the southern side of town with the Tsitsikamma Mountains right behind it. A small mountain pass just to the western side of town links the area with the Oudebosch area of the Tsitsikamma.
Next to the church is a small “heroes’ acre” where you will find the grave of Balthazar Johannes (John) Vorster, who was the prime minister of South Africa from 1966 to 1978. I wish I had more information about this beautiful church but my visit was a very quick one (just to find the Geocache next to the “heroes’ acre”) and I didn’t have time to dig for information about it around town. Perhaps next time.
Impelling architecture. Well tended!