Winburg

Winburg, first known as Wenburg, is named after the farm on which it is built being the winning farm for its location

Attractions

Also see the neighbouring towns

Voortrekker / MT Steyn Museum

The Voortrekker / MT Steyn Museum is the house in which President Martinus Steyn of the Republic of the Orange Free State was born.

Voortrekker Monument

There is a Voortrekker Monument on the site originally earmarked for the Voortrekker Monument which now stands in Pretoria. The Voortrekker Monument in Winburg was built in 1968.

Voortrekker Cemetery

The cemetry in Winburg is the oldest Voortrekker cemetery in South Africa.

Garden of Rememberance

The Garden of Rememberance is a landscape garden in memory of the Voortrekkers of the Groot Trek.

Architecture

Stone Huts

There are stone huts in the area, which are ruins of the homes of the early settlers.

Fords Hotel

The dining room of the Fords Hotel dates back to the time of the Voortrekkers.

Dutch Reformed Church

The Dutch Reformed Church was built in 1899 and used as a hospital during the Anglo-Boer War. In 1917 a large portion of the members of this church (380 of them) split ways because of political reasons and established another church. By 1919 they have built their own church, called the Rietfontein Church, now known as the old church, as in 1941 a new church was built.

Willem Pretorius Nature Reserve

The Willem Pretorius Nature Reserve is about 30Km north of Winburg. The Allemanskraal Dam is in the reserve.

Erfenis Dam Nature Reserve

The Erfenis Dam Nature Reserve is about 20Km west of Winburg, while the upstream end of the Erfenis Dam is less than 10Km from town.

Things to do

Bell's Pass Hiking Trail

This 2-day hiking trail is 8Km outside town.

Mummies

The Schnehage cemetery, on the outskirts of the town, houses mummies.

History

In 1835 Dutch-Afrikaans pioneers (Voortrekkers) bought land rights from the local inhabitants, a Tswana tribe which lived at Thaba Nchu, about 60Km south east of the location of the present town. The negotiations were handled by Andries Pretorius, and the Bataung Chief Makwana. The pioneers paid only 42 head of cattle, and offered the Tswanas protection form the Basotho, who lived in the mountains about 70Km to the east.

Andries Pretorius

The pioneers eventually established farms and a town was planned. After some strife among the farmers, a location was chosen on the farm Waaifontein, owned by Jacobus de Beer. He named the town Wenburg (wen means win) because his farm won the location for the town. Established in 1837, this was the first town established by the pioneering Voortrekkers.

MT Steyn

Martinus Theunis Steyn (1857 – 1916)

Winburg became a magistracy in 1841.

Koos de la Rey

Koos de la Rey, who was a Boer general during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), was born on the farm Doornfontein in the district of Winburg. He lead the Boer forces in the Western Transvaal from 1899 to 1901, and the town Delareyville was named after him.

Anglo-Boer War

During the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) the British established a concentration camp at Winburg. About 355 children and 132 adults died in this camp.

Local African people joined the British forces. There was an armed Black commando in Winburg from 1899 to 1901.

Climate

Annual rainfall: 550mm

Economy

Farming: cattle, sheep, horses, maize, wheat

Acknowledgements

Some information was provided by:

Org van Loggerenberg

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