Eastern Cape Provincial Article - South African Vacations

ART AND CRAFTS
JC Marshall Art Gallery: Local art and some excellent private collections are
on view at the JC Marshall Art Gallery.
HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE
Anglican Church: The St Michael’s and All Angels’ Anglican Church is an
imposing piece of architecture that certainly merits a visit.
City Hall: Queenstown’s City Hall dates back to 1882 and is a lovely example
of the architecture of that time.
Frontier Museum: This lovely museum, considered one of the ten best small
town museums in the country, gives an insightful overview of local Settler
history. The old Settler cottage is part of the exhibits and the museum also
has a fine collection of beadwork.
Library: The book collections of Sir William Bisset Berry, the town’s first mayor
and Member of Parliament for Queenstown and of Rev Charles Pettman,
a highly-respected Methodist minister and linguist, are on view at the local library.
Queenstown Collector’s Museum: The museum focuses on an unusual
subject matter, that is, people’s pastimes. It exhibits up to 40 different hobbies.
The Ruth Lock shell art collection is only one of the many.
FAUNA AND FLORA
Lawrence de Lange Nature Reserve: The reserve is situated near
Queenstown and is home to the indigenous plant species Aloe ferox, and the
tamboekie thornbush (“wag-'n-bietjie”). The aloes present a lovely sight when
in full bloom during the winter months. Many types of game can also be seen
in the reserve.
Longhill Nature Reserve: The reserve lies on the northern boundary of the
town. Several species of game are found here as well as many cycads, often
referred to as “living fossils”. Longhill also has several picnic spots that offer
lovely views of the town.
RHODES
This small town was founded in 1893 and originally named Rossville after the
Reverend David Ross. When the residents asked the Prime Minister of the
Cape, Cecil John Rhodes, for a financial contribution, he sent them pine
saplings. The town was then renamed in his honour and the descendants of
those first saplings still adorn the town. Rhodes is mostly regarded as a winter
holiday retreat because of its seasonal snowfalls that allow skiing on the
- 97 -