Bloemhof

For neighborhood in Rotterdam, see Bloemhof, Rotterdam.
Bloemhof

Bloemhof railway station
Bloemhof
Bloemhof
Bloemhof

 Bloemhof shown within North West

Coordinates: 27°39′0″S 25°35′24″E / 27.65000°S 25.59000°E / -27.65000; 25.59000Coordinates: 27°39′0″S 25°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
Established 1864[1]
Area[2]
 • Total 50.9 km2 (19.7 sq mi)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Total 27,904
 • Density 550/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[2]
 • Black African 83.9%
 • Coloured 9.5%
 • Indian/Asian 0.7%
 • White 5.5%
 • Other 0.4%
First languages (2011)[2]
 • Tswana 65.4%
 • Afrikaans 14.6%
 • Sotho 7.2%
 • Xhosa 6.6%
 • Other 6.3%
Postal code (street) 2660
PO box 2660
Area code 053

Bloemhof is an agricultural town of about 28,000 inhabitants situated on the banks of the Vaal River in North West Province of South Africa.

History

It was founded in August 1864 when diamonds were discovered in the area.[3]:230 The town was established on the farm owned by John Barclay, who survived the HMS Birkenhead shipwreck 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.[3]:230 Currently Bloemhof has a variety of social milieus; it has a township called Boitumelong and former coloured residence called Coverdale. Salamad is also a small residence formerly an Indian suburb which is situated in this town.

Tourist attractions

References

  1. ↑ "Chronological order of town establishment in South Africa based on Floyd (1960:20-26)" (PDF). pp. xlv–lii.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Sum of the Main Places Bloemhof, Coverndale and Boitumelong from Census 2011.
  3. 1 2 Theal, George McCall (1889). History of South Africa: the republics and native territories from 1854 to 1872. London: S. Sonnenschein & co.
 Schweizer-Reneke Wolmaransstad Bothaville
Taung
  Bloemhof  
Christiana Hertzogville Hoopstad                              Welkom
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