Colesberg

Municipality

Municipality: Umsobomvu Local Municipality
District Municipality: Karoo District Municipality

Colesberg Tourism Bureau

Museum Sq
Colesberg

Phone number: 051-753-0678
Fax number: 051-753-0678
Email: Email inquiry
Web: See the website

Colesberg is named after Sir Lowry Cole, Governor of the Cape

Attractions

Also see the neighbouring towns

Several Victorian buildings can be viewed in Colesberg. In the local museum the original window pane on which were scratched the initials DP with the first diamond found in South Africa. John O'Reilly brough the stone to Colesberg, and Lorenzo Boyes, Acting Civil Commissioner, tested the stone by carving the initials on the window pane of his office. On the eastern banks of the Vanderkloof Dam is the Doornkloof Nature Reserve. Antelope such as kudu, duiker, steenbok and mountain reedbuck can be seen. Other animals are hyena, bat-eared fox, and seldomly seen aardvark and aardwolf.

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History

In earlier times Cole's Kop was known as Toringberg (i.e. Towering Mountain). At the foot of this mountain was a marsh where travelers watered their animals, and game also frequented the hole. In 1814 a mission was established here. Another mission, called Hepzibah was established closeby where 1'700 San people found refuge. This number threatened the frontier farmers, and the Cape Government interfered by closing down the mission. In 1830 the first erven were sold. It became a municipality in 1840.

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