Hopetown
Encyclopedia
Hopetown lies at the edge of the Great Karoo in South Africa
's Northern Cape
province. It stands on an arid slope leading down to the Orange River
. The first diamond discovered in South Africa, the Eureka Diamond
, was found at Hopetown.
to the Orange River
. A handful of settlers claimed ground and by 1854 a frontier town had developed and a church had been built. Hopetown is mostly mistaken for a town in the Freestate, South Africa, called Hoopstad. Hoopstad is a different town and should not be confused with Hopetown in the Northern Cape, South Africa.
Hopetown was a quiet farming area until several large diamonds, most notable the Eureka Diamond
and the Star of South Africa, were discovered there between 1867 and 1869.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
's Northern Cape
Northern Cape
The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of an international park shared with Botswana...
province. It stands on an arid slope leading down to the Orange River
Orange River
The Orange River , Gariep River, Groote River or Senqu River is the longest river in South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean...
. The first diamond discovered in South Africa, the Eureka Diamond
Eureka Diamond
The Eureka Diamond was the first diamond discovered in South Africa. It weighed , and was found near Hopetown on the Orange River in 1867. The diamond, cut to a cushion-shaped brilliant, is currently on display at the Mine Museum in Kimberley.-Discovery:...
, was found at Hopetown.
History
Hopetown was founded in 1850 when Sir Harry Smith extended the northern frontier of the Cape ColonyCape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
to the Orange River
Orange River
The Orange River , Gariep River, Groote River or Senqu River is the longest river in South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean...
. A handful of settlers claimed ground and by 1854 a frontier town had developed and a church had been built. Hopetown is mostly mistaken for a town in the Freestate, South Africa, called Hoopstad. Hoopstad is a different town and should not be confused with Hopetown in the Northern Cape, South Africa.
Hopetown was a quiet farming area until several large diamonds, most notable the Eureka Diamond
Eureka Diamond
The Eureka Diamond was the first diamond discovered in South Africa. It weighed , and was found near Hopetown on the Orange River in 1867. The diamond, cut to a cushion-shaped brilliant, is currently on display at the Mine Museum in Kimberley.-Discovery:...
and the Star of South Africa, were discovered there between 1867 and 1869.