Himeville, KwaZulu-Natal
Encyclopedia
Himeville is a small village/town situated in the foothills of the picturesq Southern Drakensberg
, KwaZulu-Natal
, South Africa
, approx 130 km from Pietermaritzburg
. It is a landmark en-route to the world famous Sani Pass
and the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site)http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/985. Himeville is the closest town to the Sani Pass
which links the town with Mokhotlong
in Lesotho
.
, a road engineer elected as Prime Minister of Natal in 1889. The town was first established as a police
outpost and a branch of the Border Mounted Rifles in 1890 following a spate of gun-running and cattle
rustling in the area.
Covering the Bulwer, Underberg and Himeville communities, it commemorates the way of life of all the erstwhile inhabitants of the last frontier of Natal and has a fairly extensive archives.
The Himeville Museum is one of the top rural museums in the country due to its wide range of exhibits. From fossils and stone age artifacts to a comprehensive display on the Bushmen, the early settlers as well as African beadwork and artifacts.
The displays also cover the Anglo Boer War and the two World Wars. There is an old post office and a school room, wild life display and many farming implements and machinery including a blacksmiths forge and a workshop. The very knowledgeable curator will field any questions you may have and might quiz you as well!
The museum is housed in the old stone fort or laager started in 1896 by the Border Mounted Rifles sent to police the area after the LeFleur Rebellion http://www.tokencoins.com/griqua.html of 1895. Completed in 1899 it was only used once during the Bambata rebellion of 1906 although no fighting took place nearby. It was taken over by the Natal Mounted Police after the Anglo Boer War and turned into a prison by the addition of the warders house and magistrates court along with a number of cells. Abandoned as a prison in 1972 it became a museum in 1976 and was declared a National Monument in 1978. It is now affiliated to the KZN Provincial Museum Service.
Drakensberg
The Drakensberg is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa, rising to in height. In Zulu, it is referred to as uKhahlamba , and in Sesotho as Maluti...
, KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, approx 130 km from Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
. It is a landmark en-route to the world famous Sani Pass
Sani Pass
Sani Pass is located in the western end of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa on the road between Underberg and Mokhotlong, Lesothoit is a route that connects Kwazulu-Natal and Lesotho. It is a notoriously dangerous road, which requires the use of a 4x4 vehicle...
and the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site)http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/985. Himeville is the closest town to the Sani Pass
Sani Pass
Sani Pass is located in the western end of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa on the road between Underberg and Mokhotlong, Lesothoit is a route that connects Kwazulu-Natal and Lesotho. It is a notoriously dangerous road, which requires the use of a 4x4 vehicle...
which links the town with Mokhotlong
Mokhotlong
Cradled in the moutains of Southern Africa, Mokhotlong is one of Lesotho’s ten districts, located in the northeastern part of the country. It is the first major town along the road from South Africa across the Sani Pass, near the Maloti Mountains...
in Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
.
The Village
Himeville was named in 1902 after the then Prime Minister of Natal, Sir Albert Henry HimeAlbert Henry Hime
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Albert Henry Hime KCMG, PC was a Royal Engineers officer and later a prominent politician in the Colony of Natal....
, a road engineer elected as Prime Minister of Natal in 1889. The town was first established as a police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
outpost and a branch of the Border Mounted Rifles in 1890 following a spate of gun-running and cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
rustling in the area.
Himeville Museum
The stone buildings which now comprises the Himeville Museum were built in 1900 as the last of Natal's loop-holed forts before housing prisoners until 1972. An open-air exhibition of settler and agricultural history is surrounded by many display rooms housing themed exhibits.Covering the Bulwer, Underberg and Himeville communities, it commemorates the way of life of all the erstwhile inhabitants of the last frontier of Natal and has a fairly extensive archives.
The Himeville Museum is one of the top rural museums in the country due to its wide range of exhibits. From fossils and stone age artifacts to a comprehensive display on the Bushmen, the early settlers as well as African beadwork and artifacts.
The displays also cover the Anglo Boer War and the two World Wars. There is an old post office and a school room, wild life display and many farming implements and machinery including a blacksmiths forge and a workshop. The very knowledgeable curator will field any questions you may have and might quiz you as well!
The museum is housed in the old stone fort or laager started in 1896 by the Border Mounted Rifles sent to police the area after the LeFleur Rebellion http://www.tokencoins.com/griqua.html of 1895. Completed in 1899 it was only used once during the Bambata rebellion of 1906 although no fighting took place nearby. It was taken over by the Natal Mounted Police after the Anglo Boer War and turned into a prison by the addition of the warders house and magistrates court along with a number of cells. Abandoned as a prison in 1972 it became a museum in 1976 and was declared a National Monument in 1978. It is now affiliated to the KZN Provincial Museum Service.