Pacaltsdorp
Encyclopedia
Pacaltsdorp is a suburb of George, Western Cape
. In the Apartheid era, it was the coloured
township
associated with George. The N2 highway provided the natural boundary between the two, enforced by a curfew.
The mission station
Hoogekraal was named Pacaltsdorp after the death of the German-speaking missionary
, the Reverend Charles Pacalt in 1818. He was invited by Kaptein Dikkop, leader of the Khoikhoi
tribe living in the area. He built up a congregation of about 300 Khoekhoen, slaves and free labourers.
, glass and clay. Rev Pacalt's second mission cottage was constructed in approximately 1813. Consisting of sod
walls, a thatch roof and cow-dung floor, it was declared a national monument in 1976. William Anderson
built the first manse
, a two-storied building with thick stone walls and abundant yellowwood, it was also declared a national monument in 1976.
"The Tree Of Meeting" is a 300 year old tree, to be found opposite the Pacaltsdorp Post Office, in Missionstreet. The stone building nearby was originally home to some of the very first missionaries. There was no church building yet and church services were conducted under this big Essenwood tree.
that bordered the Gwaing River and stretched down to the sea, was used for farming. However, in 2005 two large developments, the Oubaai Golf Estate and Le Grande Golf Estate have taken the best of this Common land and all the sea frontage for upmarket development.
George, Western Cape
George is a city with 203,253 inhabitants in South Africa's Western Cape province. The city is a popular holiday and conference centre and the administrative and commercial hub of the Garden Route.- Location :...
. In the Apartheid era, it was the coloured
Coloured
In the South African, Namibian, Zambian, Botswana and Zimbabwean context, the term Coloured refers to an heterogenous ethnic group who possess ancestry from Europe, various Khoisan and Bantu tribes of Southern Africa, West Africa, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaya, India, Mozambique,...
township
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
associated with George. The N2 highway provided the natural boundary between the two, enforced by a curfew.
The mission station
Mission Station
Mission Station is the eastern terminus station on the West Coast Express commuter rail line connecting Vancouver to Mission, British Columbia, Canada. The station is located on the north side of the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks in Mission on North Railway Avenue. The station opened in 1995,...
Hoogekraal was named Pacaltsdorp after the death of the German-speaking missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
, the Reverend Charles Pacalt in 1818. He was invited by Kaptein Dikkop, leader of the Khoikhoi
Khoikhoi
The Khoikhoi or Khoi, in standardised Khoekhoe/Nama orthography spelled Khoekhoe, are a historical division of the Khoisan ethnic group, the native people of southwestern Africa, closely related to the Bushmen . They had lived in southern Africa since the 5th century AD...
tribe living in the area. He built up a congregation of about 300 Khoekhoen, slaves and free labourers.
Buildings
A number of historic buildings are preserved - The Stone Church - a Norman-style church, originally built from stone, yellowwoodPodocarpus latifolius
Podocarpus latifolius is a large evergreen tree up to 35 m high and 3 m trunk diameter, in the conifer family Podocarpaceae; it is the type species of the genus Podocarpus....
, glass and clay. Rev Pacalt's second mission cottage was constructed in approximately 1813. Consisting of sod
Sod
Sod or turf is grass and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of thin material.The term sod may be used to mean turf grown and cut specifically for the establishment of lawns...
walls, a thatch roof and cow-dung floor, it was declared a national monument in 1976. William Anderson
William Anderson (missionary)
The Reverend William Anderson of Griquatown was an English Christian missionary who relocated to South Africa under the auspices of the London Missionary Society. He was one of the earliest missionaries in the region...
built the first manse
Manse
A manse is a house inhabited by, or formerly inhabited by, a minister, usually used in the context of a Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist or United Church...
, a two-storied building with thick stone walls and abundant yellowwood, it was also declared a national monument in 1976.
"The Tree Of Meeting" is a 300 year old tree, to be found opposite the Pacaltsdorp Post Office, in Missionstreet. The stone building nearby was originally home to some of the very first missionaries. There was no church building yet and church services were conducted under this big Essenwood tree.
Development
Prior to 1994 much of Pacaltsdorp was Common landCommon land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
that bordered the Gwaing River and stretched down to the sea, was used for farming. However, in 2005 two large developments, the Oubaai Golf Estate and Le Grande Golf Estate have taken the best of this Common land and all the sea frontage for upmarket development.