Hopetown

Afrikaans name: Hopetown

Hopetown

Photo © Johan van Zyl

Northern Cape

Hopetown was founded in 1850 as an extension to the Cape Colony. It is located on the banks of the Orange River. The town was sited near a ford across the Orange River. In 1884 a railway bridge was constructed over the river.

The nature of the town changed dramatically when diamonds were discovered in the area in 1867. Two notable diamonds found in the area were the "Eureka Diamond" (23.25 carats) and the "Star of South Africa" (83.5 carats).

Hopetown was named after William Hope who was Auditor-General and Secretary of the Cape Colony Government.

Today the town serves the local farms that produce crops such as wheat, potato's and fruit. There are also a number of stock farms.

Visitors will find a number of things to see in this small town including the Old Wagon Bridge which was constructed prior to the Boer War, the Concentration Camp Cemetary, the Blockhouse and a few memorials. Another interesting thing is the Convict Stone. Prisoners were secured to the stone as there was no jail at the time.

Flat landscape around Hopetown

Photo © Johan van Zyl

References and further reading

The Pictorial Motoring Atlas of South Africa - Author: Maxwell Leigh - Published: 1987 - Page: 54

Things ewe never knewe about South African place names - Author: Ann Gadd - Published: 2015 - Page: 99

On Route - A region by region guide to South Africa - Author: B.P.J. Erasmus - Published: 1995 - Page: 309

Southern Africa from the Highway - Author: AA RSA - Published: 1991 - Page: 116

Readers Digest Illustrated Guide to Southern Africa - 4th edition - Author: - Published: 1986 - Page: 173

Conollys Guide to Southern Africa - 2nd edition - Author: Denis Conolly - Published: 1982 - Page: 346

---

Top