Somerset East
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Somerset East Somerset-Oos |
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Dutch Reformed Church, Charles Street, Somerset East
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 Somerset East
Somerset East
Somerset East
Somerset East shown within Eastern Cape
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| Coordinates: 32°43′S 25°35′E / 32.717°S 25.583°ECoordinates: 32°43′S 25°35′E / 32.717°S 25.583°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Eastern Cape |
| District | Sarah Baartman |
| Municipality | Blue Crane Route |
| Established | 1825 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 72.8 km2 (28.1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 750 m (2,460 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 18,825 |
| • Density | 260/km2 (670/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 59.8% |
| • Coloured | 32.2% |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.4% |
| • White | 7.2% |
| • Other | 0.5% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Xhosa | 51.8% |
| • Afrikaans | 42.9% |
| • English | 3.7% |
| • Other | 1.6% |
| Postal code (street) | 5850 |
| PO box | 5850 |
Somerset East (Afrikaans: Somerset-Oos) is a town in the Blue Crane Route Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It was founded by Lord Charles Somerset in 1825.
The Blue Crane Route follows the national road R63 from Pearston, via Somerset East, to Cookhouse. Somerset East, at the foot of the Boschberg Mountains, is a small town that's known for its natural environment and for its provincial heritage sites and buildings.
The forested, mountainous backdrop frames the town (which is within sight of 16 waterfalls). The wooded Boschberg Nature Reserve is in the area, and has a number of hiking trails - including a 15 km circular route to an overnight hut at the summit of the mountain. As the route's name suggest, Somerset East is a bird-watching destination - other outdoor adventures include trout fishing on five local dams, as well as rainbow and brown trout fishing in the Glen Avon Waterfall pools, malaria free safari and hunting operations. There is also a 9-hole golf course.
Notable buildings in the town include the Old Wesleyan Chapel, which now houses the Somerset East Museum, and the officers' mess, which now houses the largest collection of paintings by the South African artist Walter Battiss.
Annual events include the Biltong Festival, which was started in 1991, the Bruintjieshoogte Marathon, Bruintjieshoogte Cycle Tour (run between Pearston & Somerset East) and the Spring Rose & Flower show. Somerset East is known for producing roses.
The first settler in this area was Willem Prinsloo. He settled under the Boschberg, close to where the Museum is today. Prinsloo was the unofficial field cornet of the district where at least 20 other families had settled by 1774. They send a petition to Cape Town asking for the establishment of a Drostdy and a church in the area, which led to the establishment of Graaff-Reinet.
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Wikipedia