Griquatown
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Griquatown is a sheep farming town (primarily Dorpers; a South African breed which can now even be found in places such as Australia) situated in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. It is situated about 150 km from the city of Kimberley and has the unique distinction of being the first town to be established north of the Orange River.
In 1804, Cornelius Kramer and William Anderson of the London Missionary Society extended their mission north of the Orange River among a mixed community of the Chaguriqua tribe and "bastaards" (people of mixed origin) from Piketberg. In 1813 the "bastaards" were renamed Griquas and the town Griquatown. Their two leaders Andries Waterboer and Adam Kok II later had a dispute and Kok left for Philippolis.
From 1813 - 17 July 1871 the town and its surrounding area functioned as an independent state and was known as Waterboer's Land. This state had its own coinage and flag and also produced its own gun powder. Waterboer himself lived in a "palace", which in reality was a house with six rooms. A monument for Waterboer was later erected near the town's hospital.
Dr. Robert Moffat and his wife Mary, on their way to the town of Kuruman, were residing in Griquatown when their daughter, also Mary (later Mrs. David Livingstone) was born in 1821. The town's former mission house is now a museum dedicated to her.
The town is best known for the semi-precious stones found there, particularly Tiger's eye and Jasper.
