Bloemhof

Bloemhof
Bloemhof railway station
Bloemhof Show map of North West (South African province) Bloemhof Show map of South Africa Bloemhof Show map of Africa  Bloemhof shown within North West
Coordinates: 27°39′0″S 25°35′24″E / 27.65000°S 25.59000°E / -27.65000; 25.59000Coordinates: 27°39′0″S 25°35′24″E / 27.65000°S 25.59000°E / -27.65000; 25.59000
Country	South Africa
Province	North West
District	Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati
Municipality	Lekwa-Teemane
Established	1864
Area
• Total	50.9 km2 (19.7 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	27,904
• Density	550/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	83.9%
• Coloured	9.5%
• Indian/Asian	0.7%
• White	5.5%
• Other	0.4%
First languages (2011)
• Tswana	65.4%
• Afrikaans	14.6%
• Sotho	7.2%
• Xhosa	6.6%
• Other	6.3%
Postal code (street)	2660
PO box	2660
Area code	053

Bloemhof is an agricultural town of about 28,000 inhabitants situated on the banks of the Vaal River in North West Province of South Africa.

It was founded in August 1864 when diamonds were discovered in the area. The town was established on the farm owned by John Barclay, who survived the HMS Birkenhead shipwreck in 1852. The place became known as Bloemhof (flower court) because of the lovely gardens that were planted by Barclay's daughter. In June 1869, the South African Republic's Volksraad created a new district called Bloemhof named after the town itself. Currently Bloemhof has a variety of social milieus; it has a township called Boitumelong and former coloured residence called Coverdale. Salamad is also a small residence formerly an Indian suburb which is situated in this town.