Background
There are several theories about the name Bloemfontein, but the accepted version is that the wife of Johannes Nicolaas Brits, one of the first settlers in the area who started to farm here in 1840, planted some flowers around the fountain which was used by everyone travelling across the central plains.
In 1846 the Governor of the Cape Colony, Sir Peregrine Maitland, made a treaty with the Griqua chief, Adam Kok, whereby the land between the Riet and Modder rivers was opened to European settlement. Major Henry Warden, the British resident in Griqua territory, was instructed to move to the location to co-ordinate the new settlers. He chose Bloemfontein farm and Brits received £37.10 in compensation, followed by £50 a few years later and a farm in Harrismith, which he also named Bloemfontein.
In 1848 Sir Harry Smith visited the new settlement and proclaimed the territory between the Orange and Vaal rivers as British, calling it the Orange River Sovereignty, with Bloemfontein as its capital. Queen’s Fort was built and the town slowly started to take shape. By 1853, Church Square and Market Square (now Hoffman Square) had been laid out. However, the surrounding countryside was still full of wild animals, which meant that travellers and farmers were in danger of attacks from lions, leopards and wild dogs. The British Government had decided the territory was hardly fit for habitation and not worth the trouble of maintaining. In 1854 the Bloemfontein Convention was signed, giving independence to the land between the Orange and Vaal rivers, and the British soldiers marched out of the town.
Josias Hoffman was the first President of the Republic of the Orange Free State and a volksraad (people’s council) was elected to sit in the simple raadsaal (council chamber). This first council chamber can still be seen in St George’s Street. President Johannes Brand followed him in 1863, under whom the town enjoyed 25 years of stable and prosperous independence when some fine government buildings were built. In 1890 the railway link with the Cape was finally completed and the town prospered further, though in 1904 there was a disastrous flood that cut the city in half and destroyed many buildings.
The discovery of diamonds at Jagersfontein and Kimberley along with gold, quickly led to the British wanting to re-establish control over these two regions. The Anglo-Boer War broke out and President Steyn of the Orange Free State sided with the South African Republic. When the British forces approached the town in March 1900 the Boer forces retreated to save the citizens and historic buildings. After the war was over, Bloemfontein became the capital of the Orange River Colony. In 1910, with the creation of the Union of South Africa, Bloemfontein aspired to be the country’s capital; as it was it became the judicial capital, and remains so today.
more Bloemfontein photos
