Alice (J8): 20

Name: Alice Eastern Cape
Google count: 185 000
Date: 22 June 2008

encarta.msn.com/map_701510026/Alice_(South_Africa).html

Historic fact:

Other interesting info:

A little town situated 20 kilometres to the east of Fort Beaufort, Alice grew around a military
encampment known as Fort Hare. It became well known as a missionary centre, with Presbyterian missionaries founding a famous educational centre known as Lovedale. Many of the current political leaders in South Africa were educated here and at the University of Fort Hare, which was established to cater for the needs of black graduates from Lovedale and other schools.

The University of Fort Hare is the repository of the archives of the African National Congress
and houses one of the most significant collections of African Art on the continent.

http://www.ectourism.co.za/city/24/Alice

History: Alice can trace its origins back to the Glasgow Missionary Society, who started a mission called Lovedale back in 1824. The station was abandoned during the sixth frontier war of 1834-5, and yet again in the seventh frontier war ten years later! It was in the latter war that the buildings were converted into a fort, and only once peace had returned, could the town start developing itself again. A proper fort, a hospital and a school were built. The fort was named Fort Hare after Major-General John Hare while the new development was named Alice after Sir Harry Smith's sister, although he claimed to have named it after one of Queen Victoria's daughters. Today Lovedale is an important educational institution that includes a theological department as well as a department that trains nurses. Although regarded as a second-class university and known as a "tribal" university under the apartheid regime, Fort Hare University is one of the most historically important universities in South Africa. Many prominent African leaders including Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, Tanzania's Julius Nyere, our very own President Thabo Mbeki and most famous of course, Nelson Mandela, cut their political teeth on this campus.

Source: http://www.aatravel.co.za/staticnew/towns/alice.html

Where to stay:

Mak & Mak
Tel +27 (0) 40 653-1680;
Fax +27 (0) 40 653-2933;