Fouriesburg
History
During the late nineteenth century, this land was donated to the Orange Free State by a local farmer of Huguenot descent, Christoffel Fourie, for use as a temporary capital during the Second Boer War. It was the site of several engagements during the Boer War, and by 1902 the original settlement had been almost completely destroyed.
Vicinity
A small private resort, Meiringskloof Nature Park, is located in a valley just northeast of town. Fouriesburg is about half an hour's drive from Clarens, a popular tourist destination, and a 45-minute drive from Golden Gate Highlands National Park. It is about fifty kilometres south-east of Bethlehem, and some fifty-three from Ficksburg.
Fouriesburg ranked first during South Africa's 2013 Kwela Town of the Year competition.
References
- ^ Robson, Linda Gillian (2011). "Annexure A" (PDF). The Royal Engineers and settlement planning in the Cape Colony 1806–1872: Approach, methodology and impact (PhD thesis). University of Pretoria. pp. xlv–lii. hdl:2263/26503.
- ^ Sum of the Main Places Mashaeng and Fouriesburg from Census 2011.
- ^ "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 166.