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At the foot of the Kamiesberge ( mountain
range),
surrounded by granite rock formations, lies the little town of
Kamieskroon, founded in 1924.
The town actually started in 1850, eight km north of the present
town, when the Dutch Reformed Church decided to start its own congregation, away from the main centre in
Clanwilliam.
Four farmers bought a piece of the farm Wilgenhoutskloof
for £140 and donated it to the church. It was situated at the
western foot of Sneeukop in a narrow valley. Mr C van
Nieuwkerk started to built the church in 1861 and the 32m
long, 11m wide and 5.6m high building was completed in 1864 at
the cost of £2300.
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Remains of Dutch Reformed Church, Bowesdorp -
©Colla Swart
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Remains of Dutch Reformed Church, Bowesdorp
©Colla Swart
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The town was named Bowesville, after Dr
Henry Bowe, who was the district surgeon of Namaqualand
during that time. The name was later changed to
Bowesdorp.
Too little water, too little space for development
and the importance of the nearby developing Springbok
forced the town fathers to find a place somewhere else.
A section of the farm Koets, eight km south of Bowesdorp, was
bought by the church from the widow, Charlotte van Wyk.
The church elders prohibited the sale and manufacturing
of liquor on any of the premises in the new town of
Kamiesberg, later changed to kamieskroon.
The church was taken into use on 27 July 1924 and the
town was established.
The school, post office, police station and stores
soon followed to the new established town of Kamiesberg,
later called Kamieskroon. That meant the end of the town
of Bowesdorp. Land was sold to Josephson and Schapera and they built
the hotel just outside the town borders.
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