Smithfield

Smithfield is the third oldest village in Free state. Places to visit are the Caledon river museum, the Carmel and Beersheba missionary posts. It is a village that is experiencing something of a revival, with more and more houses being renovated and a renewed interest in the place seems to evolve. It is really evolving the last couple of years with the old Hotel now being restored and a couple of mentions in recent Country Life magazines and the ToGoTo publications. Smithfield is becoming an item and reviving strongly and quickly, without loosing it's "dorp" apeal.
Check out the links section at the bottom of the page for links to other sites related to Smithfield.

"Ou Grietje" at the Museum, with the curator Jimmy Meggs
who knows plenty about Smithfield and is happy to share.

What it is like
Driving into Smithfield on the N6 from Bloemfontein, I was pleasantly surprised by the small winding road after you pass the golf course on the left. It gave me the impression of entering a place with a bit of Portugal, Italy and Africa all mixed together. After the relatively boring long stretch of straight roads with the odd couple of guinea fowls, sheep or cows in the pastures you get the feeling of having arrived somewhere. I guess this is one of the reasons many people passing through opt for a small or longer stop here. There are quite a number of places where you can get a bite to a full fledged lunch or dinner.

While sitting in the Pig-out in Smithfield and talking to local patrons and visitors, I mention I bought a house in Smithfield. The reactions varied from one extreme to the other. Some people asked me "Why?" with a surprised look on their faces to a more extreme "Kakplek", while others reacted by giving us a warm "Not why.... but Welcome!!"

The old cemetery, not maintained as could be, but still very
interesting to see a bit of history and
read the stories on the graves
(e.g. died from accident with ox-wagon).

In my opinion Smithfield definitively has a vibe to it. It is a quiet village, with, at the risk of sounding like a cliché, many interesting people with even more interesting stories. Most people living in town either run a restaurant, a B&B, a shop or are retired farmers, most others are artists. You have your local Portuguese, your Chinese and your Muslims, that somehow found their way to Smithfield, now complemented with a couple of crazy Hollanders (us).

15 December 2005, was braai-day in Smithfield,
with every shop putting their stoep to good use.
Bring your own bevarages and meat and braai away.

Bibberfees 2006
If its very cold in July, why not have a big party? That's what the people of Smithfield must have been thinking when they came up with the idea of a big event in the hart of winter!
It's called the Bibberfees (bibber meaning shaking from the cold in Afrikaans) and the first one was a resounding success. The event got a lot of publicity, even at international level, since they said there would be a sheep throwing event and everyone believed it, including shocked animal rights protections people and newspapers. Read about some of the reactions here. But it was a stunt and a good one at that. Sheep was the central theme though, with all things sheep present at the fees.

There is a Chill-feest planned for June/July 2007 again, since it is cold during those months and more like Xmas than during Xmas, it promises to be a great event with many participants once more!

Hereunder some pictures, courtesy and copyright of Steve Spicer (a professional artist photographer residing in Smithfield)

Throwing the "sheep" for the record.
Dolly was made of wool and wood to the relief of many an animal lover.

Horse parade in Smithfield

Firing "Ou Grietje" since a long time

Before the BANG!

Peaceful, splendidly vast, unpolluted countryside abounds around historic Smithfield, tucked neatly into a horseshoe of hills. Established in 1848 and named after Sir Harry Smith, then Governor of the Cape, Smithfield is the third oldest town in the Free State Province.
Originally an important wool-growing area, in recent times its position astride major tourist routes, have lent impetus to its growing role in tourism. The many hills surrounding the town are ideal for hiking, walking horse-riding and birding in splendid isolation. You can ride for miles on local secondary roads ideal for mountain bikes. With no industry to pollute the environment and little distraction from town lights and the crystal clear night skies are stunningly beautiful.

Smithfield summer night

The local golf course dates back more than 100 years and is widely rated as an unusually attractive country course. Its facilities are open to our guests, as are local tennis and bowls clubs. (portions of text above adapted from the pula-house web site, see hereunder for their website and for some excellent accommodation)

The old hotel is working again and called Die Opstal,
and although not restored to former glory yet,
it offers cheap accommodation for the traveler.


Muller street (my mother is a Muller)	Another approach to Smithfield

Driving into Smithfield	Internet and Information Center
Kilometer upon kilometer of silvery savanna, a sprinkling of blesbok and the odd zebra. Prepare you for a change of pace as you fly off the main road to Colesberg and head towards the tiny town of Smithfield in the Free State. The town lies 132-km southeast of Bloemfontein on the national road to Port Elizabeth. Smithfield has a small population of approximately 4000. It is a prosperous wool-growing district with a large number of cattle as well. Smithfield is the third oldest town in the Free State. Waterval farm was the original site chosen for the township. However, when plots were offered for sale, there were no takers. Farmers were dissatisfied with the site (24 km west of present-day Smithfield). They preferred Rietpoort, where there was abundant water. The new town was named New Smithfield (the New soon fell away), after Sir Harry Smith, Governor of the Cape at the time. The Caledon River bound Smithfield on the east and south. The district is drained by various tributaries of the Caledon River, the Vinkel Spruit and Wilgeboom Spruit being the largest. As the town lies 13 km west of the Caledon River, water has to be obtained from boreholes around the town dam. Smithfield, where even the cows go to church :) Archaeologically, the name Smithfield is well known because one of the most important Stone Age cultures was named after the town. George Stow, a renowned scientist, excavated a cave near Smithfield in 1877. He found tools from the Late Stone Age and described them in his book, "Native races of South Africa." There are wonderful Bushmen paintings in the hills near the town. "Ou Grietjie,"a cannon used by the Free State in the Basuto wars, has been mounted in front of the magistrate's office. It was named after Margaret (Grietjie), wife of the gunner Robert Finlay. Until recently, this sleepy village in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains was virtually unheard of, except by local farmers. Today, there is a wonderful Artists' Colony, a combination guesthouse, restaurant and art gallery. It can be described as a sort of mirage in the desert, an oasis with Italian-inspired food and exquisitely dressed guestrooms. It welcomes travelers on the thirsty route through the Free State to the coast. Enjoy the wonderful cuisine! (Above text from Encounter South Africa website, click the link to check out the rest of their site). Karoo Lodge B&B Pig Out Restaurant Smithfield - a sheep farming district Rose Cottage Restaurant Pula House B&B Smithfield House Hotel Voortrekker monument The Red Barn, a new local artist exposition center All pictures above are copyright of rouxville.com and were taken by Donald West or David Korver Welcome to www.SmithfieldTourism.com