Port Alfred

Art, Heritage and Culture
Port Alfred has an incredible history, dating back to the 1820 Settlers. After
the Napoleonic Wars, 2000 settlers were despatched to the Eastern Cape,
many settling in and around Port Alfred. One of the many problems they faced
was accessibility, and in 1821, it was discovered that the Kowie River could resolve
this problem as a harbour. From 1863, up to 100 sailing vessels called
in annually delivering all manner of goods. Some ten years later, the railway
line between Grahamstown and Port Alfred was built, essentially making the
harbour superfluous.
At the same time, the Settlers were caught in the middle of the 100 year Frontier
Wars, and were pretty much left to fend for themselves. Fine examples of
buildings dating back to the early 1800’s can be found in Port Alfred. The most
notable street, Wharf Street - a hive of activity in it’s day, still has some of the
original buildings, the most impressive being the beautifully restored customs
house, resplendent with original stonework, yellow wood floors and Oregon
beams, and now home to Wharf Street Brew Pub, one of the finest restaurants
in Port Alfred.
Also housed in Wharf Street, you will find renowned artist Bob
MacKenzie’s studio. Maison Décor in van der Riet Street has a
studio and well known artist Mark Hammon’s studio can be
found in the suburbs of Port Alfred. Extending the arty experience,
a visit to nearby Bathurst is a must.
No less that 5 museums have excellent exhibits depicting the history
of Port Alfred. The Kowie Museum, housed in the beautiful
and historic old Station Building has a fine collection, including
the Mors Jones cards, detailing the families and descendants of
the original 1820 settlers.
Port Alfred Airfield, now home to 43 Air School, was a RAF base
during WW11 and has a quaint museum housed in The Wright
Place, an aviation themed restaurant.
Travelling a little further north, the Bathurst Agricultural Museum,
situated just 10 minutes drive from Port Alfred has over 1800 exhibits.
Fine examples of settler homes and historic sites can be
seen in Bathurst, including the Toposcope, Old Mill, St. John’s Anglican
Church dating back to 1834, and the quaint Bathurst
School, built in 1827. The legendary Pig and Whistle Hotel is a
National Monument, built in 1833.
The old station, now home to the Kowie Museum
An excellent self drive historic map is available at the local tourism office.
A Township tour with Lungisile Sinqe (pictured left), tourism consultant at
Sunshine Coast Tourism, is an unforgettable experience. Lungi is passionate
about history, and an engaging guide. Bookings are essential, and
should be planned a day in advance. Your journey will begin with a drive
to Nemato Township, the first township to be named after Nelson Mandela,
in a traditional taxi. You will visit a Sangoma, a Tavern, enjoy a traditional
meal, visit a local creche and historic township sites. The tour
takes approximately 3 hours, and is well worth it.