History

Local History

Activity 1

Read the information about the history of wellington and answer the questions that follow:

1. Use the key words to complete the following sentences.

Valley, Roads , Groenberg , Liemietberg , Snowheads , busy , Khoi-khoi

Bergriver , bainskloof Pass , trains , March

Willem Adriaan , 15 , Wamkers Valley , John

Wellington is situated in a scenic and fertile , which is surrounded by mountains:

to the northeast side, and further back is the Limietberg Mountain, the Hawekwas and the
two Snowheads. The valley was occupied by the indigenous San and
thousands of years ago. Implements from the time period is still found today.

The European settlers settled in the Valley in 1677, which was then known as the Limit
Valley. In 1699 , Van der Stel allocated farms to French Huguenots.
Some of the first pioneers established a wagon-making industry, which gave rise to the
name (Val du Charron, Valley of the wagon-makers).

The establishment of the first Dutch Reformed Church (NG-gemeente) in 1840 coincides
with the township establishment. Wellington was declared a town on the .On
the recommendation of the then British Governor ,Sir George Napier, the town is named
after the Duke of Wellington, 25 years after the famous battle of Waterloo in 1815.The man
that was closely concerned with town establishment was Dr Addey.

Thirteen years later, the clam rural town changed into a one. , were
improved and on September 13, 1853 the first bridge was opened over the .
th
A day later, was opened on the 14 of September. Andrew Geddes Bain, a
genaile Scot, broke a path open through the mountain with dynamite and bandit labour,
without any formal engineering training.
Ten years later the railway line between Cape Town and Wellington was opened by the
then Governor, Sir Philip Wodehouse. Wellington is now a busy terminus of postal
Cooks and carriages.

Draw any historical building in Wellington.