Lichtenburg (D 9)

Name: Lichtenburg

Lichtenburg is situated approximately 230 km west of Johannesburg on the main route to Mmabatho. Between Coligny and Mafikeng on the R503.


Lichtenburg was established on the farms Middelbosch and Doornfontein which were presented for this purpose to the Transvaal Republic by Commandant Hendrik Greeff in 1866. Greeff named he town Lichtenburg as he wanted it to be a town whose light would shine over the area, for its hospitality and prosperity and in respect of religion.

The town is today the centre of a huge farming district where maize, groundnuts and sunflower seeds are the main crops.

In 1926 a diamond was found on the farm Elandsputte resulting in a diamond rush with more than 100 000 diggers streaming to the town. In March 1927 25 000 diggers took part in a race to peg their claims in one of the biggest diamond rushes in history.

The biggest pure red diamond ("pigeon blood red") in the world was found here. By 1935 the activity was over after some 7 million carats of diamonds were unearthed. This period can be relived at the Lichtenburg Diggings Museum which has exhibits of these alluvial diamant diggings (1925-1935).

Then there is the Ampie Bosman Cultural History Museum which gives an overview of the history of Lichtenburg. Exhibits also cover the historey of the town, discovery of the local diamond fields, the siege of Lichtenburg during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) and much more.

In the town square stands a statute of Koos de la Rey, the town's most notable son and one of the key Boer military commanders during the ABW.

A collection of farm implements and tractors from the earliest history of mechanised agriculture in the region is on exhibit at the North West Agricultural Museum. Exhibits of blacksmith tools, a horse mill from the last century and old steam engines can also be seen.

The Lichtenburg Game Breeding Centre outside town provides a good network of roads facilitate the viewing of animals. The hide at the vulture restauarant allows one to view these magnifucent birds at close quarters.

Read more: http://www.places.co.za/html/lichtenburg.html


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