SUTHERLAND VILLAGE
Sutherland information centre: 023 - 5711265
See also 'Discover Sutherland' website for more information
SUTHERLAND: The village everybody knows about, but nobody knows where it is.
If you
mention Sutherland everybody knows it is one of the coldest places in South
Africa and the South African Astronomical Observatory is located near
Sutherland.
The village
is located at an altitude of about 1500m above sea level on the western edge of
the inland escarpment. Due to the altitude and no barriers between it and
the cold westerly air currents from the Atlantic ocean allows the temperatures
to drop significantly in the winter nights. Readings of -15 degrees centigrade
has been recorded. Snow is not an unusual sight. Sutherland has on
average 90 nights with frost from about mid April to mid November.
The village has a population of 1759 (1997 census) and the Sutherland district
a population of 1424.
HISTORY:
1888 View of Sutherland
1988 View of Sutherland
Sutherland is
named after Ds Henry Sutherland, a preacher from Worcester whose duty it was to
visit the outlying areas.
Sutherland is located in the area called the 'Roggeveld'. 'Rog' is the
Dutch name for wild Rye. This is the only wild rye in Africa. It
used to grow mainly in the protection of cliffs and under other bushes.
Under ideal conditions it could reach a height of 1m. The plant however
disappeared from the wild and for more than 80 years it was thought to be
extinct. In the last few years however some were found and the plant is
now protected by some of the farmers who try to increase the numbers.
The original inhabitants of the area were the Bushmen (San people). The area has a vast collection of Bushmen art.
The town was founded in 1855 on the farm De List. The town developed around the church. The original church was soon too small and another larger one was built. This church was completed at the outbreak of the Anglo Boer War and it was occupied by British soldiers who used it to house the soldiers and horses. Some of the graffiti from that period is still visible in the church tower.
The town is the centre of the Sutherland district which covers an area of 9264sq. Km.
SIGHTS IN THE VILLAGE:
Some examples of the large number of stone buildings in the village.
More images will follow soon.
HOW TO GET TO SUTHERLAND:
Click here for a Detailed map (160K)
Louw-Huis Museum
Since the museum is in honor of well known Afrikaans persons, it is only fair that I post this in Afrikaans.
N.P. van Wyk Louw, digter, dramaturg en denker wat
aan Afrikaans internasionale status gegee het, is op Sutherland gebore en het
sy eerste 14 jaar hier deurgebring.
Die huis waarin hy en sy digter broer W.E.G. van Wyk Louw gebore is, is in 1861
gebou en in 1986 deur die gemeenskap van Sutherland gekoop en ingerig as museum
waarin hulle twee sowel as Dr. Henry Olivier vereer word.
Laasgenoemde is 'n wêreld bekende siviele ingenieur wat in hidro-krag
gespesialiseer het. Hy is ewe-eens hier gebore waar hy ook sy eerste 15
jaar deurgebring het. Hy was ondermeer hoof-ingenieur van die
Indus-rivierskema in Pakistan en die Kariba-dam.
Nog meer inligting aangaande hierdie persone is beskikbaar by die museum.
Die missie van die museumraad is die verering van kinders van Sutherland wat
presteer het - (o.a. Adriaan Vlok, Minister van Wet en Orde - Polisie) sowel as
die bewaring van Kultuurgoed van die plaaslike gemeenskap.
Van die kultuurgoed wat gesien kan word is onder andere, 'n pragtige
perde-lykwa uit 1912, 'n perdemeul en 'n bakkiespomp.
Die plek word netjies instand gehou, toegang is gratis.
