Griekwastad and its Griqua history

Griekwastad is one of the small rural settlements in the Green Kalahari that offers travellers a welcome place to rest on their journey. At the same time, the town can be explored through its history: Griqua history is reflected in its naming, a former mission building and several named places of remembrance. If you are considering whether Griekwastad is right for your trip, this historical focus is a clear point of reference—especially if you are looking for a theme for your stay as well as accommodation.

Griqua history in names and buildings

In 1813, the town was named Griquatown; Reverend John Campbell is associated with the renaming. The Mary Moffat Museum building dates from around 1826 and was previously used as a mission church. The town’s naming history and the building’s former use are two distinct historical layers. They can also be placed in chronological context: the naming predates the period around 1826, when the museum building dates from. Griekwastad’s history thus connects an event from 1813 with a specific building that was previously used as a church.

The Moffat pulpit is on display at the Mary Moffat Museum; it is described as a national monument. Moffat, Waterboer and David Livingstone used the pulpit. Their shared use connects three names with a single historical object. For families looking to discover history together, this can provide a starting point for conversation: What was the building’s former purpose, who used the pulpit, and how do objects become things to remember? The museum’s story thus extends beyond a single year and connects the house’s former use with the history of the pulpit.

Places of remembrance on Water Street

Water Street is home to two other, very different points of reference in the town’s history. The first Griqua council chamber is located there; on the same street stands the tree from which Andries Waterboer had criminals hanged. The historic gallows tree is a reminder that people who had been convicted were once hanged there. The council chamber and the gallows tree thus represent different sides of history associated with Water Street.

Andries Waterboer’s grave is also one of Griekwastad’s historical points of reference. Two cannons flank the grave. Queen Victoria gifted the cannons, which are called “old Niklaas” and “old Grietjie”. The two proper names turn a general mention of cannons into a specific detail of the gravesite. Together with the gallows tree, they offer another point of reference to Waterboer, while the council chamber points to the Griqua. The named places and objects thus make it possible to distinguish between different themes in the town’s history.

A historical focus for your trip

When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home, it may help to consider whether Griqua and Waterboer history should be part of your stay. In Griekwastad, you will find specific topics to explore: the town’s naming, the museum building’s former use, the pulpit and the places of remembrance. For families, this common thread can spark conversations about names, how buildings were used and historical objects. The topics remain distinct: 1813 relates to the town’s naming, the period around 1826 to the museum building, and Water Street to the council chamber and gallows tree. If historically themed discoveries suit your trip, Griekwastad offers a clear reason to consider the town when choosing your accommodation.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Noupoort, Carnarvon, Victoria West, Britstown, Constantia, Douglas, Hanover Road, Kleinberg

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