Bloemhof

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Bloemhof
Station Bloemhof.JPG
Bloemhof railway station
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Bloemhof
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Bloemhof
Coordinates: 27°39′0″S25°35′24″E / 27.65000°S 25.59000°E / -27.65000; 25.59000
Country South Africa
Province North West
District Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati
Municipality Lekwa-Teemane
Mayor Sebang Motlhabi
Established1864 [1]
Area
[2]
  Total47.33 km2 (18.27 sq mi)
Population
 (2011) [2] [3]
  Total2,339
  Density49/km2 (130/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
   Black African 26.5%
   Coloured 7.0%
   Indian/Asian 4.2%
   White 61.9%
  Other0.4%
First languages (2011)
[2]
   Afrikaans 72.1%
   Tswana 7.4%
   English 7.3%
   Sotho 4.1%
  Other8.9%
Time zone UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
2660
PO box
2660
Area code 053

Bloemhof is an agricultural town of about 2,000 inhabitants situated on the banks of the Vaal River in North West Province of South Africa.

Contents

History

It was founded in August 1864 when diamonds were discovered in the area. [4] The town was established on the farm owned by John Barclay, who survived the shipwreck of HMS Birkenhead in 1852. The place became known as Bloemhof (flower court) because of the lovely gardens that were planted by Barclay's daughter. In June 1869, the South African Republic's Volksraad created a new district called Bloemhof named after the town itself. [4] Currently Bloemhof has a variety of social milieus; it has a township called Boitumelong and former coloured residence called Coverdale. Salamat is also a small residence, formerly an Indian suburb, which is situated in this town.

Notable people

Education

Tourist attractions

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References

  1. Robson, Linda Gillian (2011). "Annexure A" (PDF). The Royal Engineers and settlement planning in the Cape Colony 1806–1872: Approach, methodology and impact (PhD thesis). University of Pretoria. pp. xlv–lii. hdl:2263/26503.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Bloemhof". Census 2011.
  3. 1 2 Bloemhof SP from Census 2011.
  4. 1 2 Theal, George McCall (1889). History of South Africa: the republics and native territories from 1854 to 1872. London: S. Sonnenschein & co. p. 230.