Bethlehem, Free State

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Bethlehem
Bethlehem, Vrystaat, uitsig a.jpg
Bethlehem is located in Free State (South African province)
Bethlehem
Bethlehem
 Bethlehem shown within Free State
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Country South Africa
Province Free State
District Thabo Mofutsanyane
Municipality Dihlabeng
Established 1859[1]
Area[2]
 • Total 37.1 km2 (14.3 sq mi)
Elevation 1,687 m (5,535 ft)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Total 76,667
 • Density 2,100/km2 (5,400/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[2]
 • Black African 85.2%
 • Coloured 2.1%
 • Indian/Asian 0.6%
 • White 12.0%
 • Other 0.2%
First languages (2011)[2]
 • Sotho 72.2%
 • Afrikaans 14.5%
 • Zulu 7.0%
 • English 2.4%
 • Other 3.9%
Postal code (street) 9700
PO box 9700
Area code 058

Bethlehem is a town in the eastern Free State province of South Africa that is situated on the Liebenbergs river (also called Liebenbergs Vlei) along a fertile valley just north of the Rooiberg Mountains on the N5 road.

It is a wheat growing area and named after the biblical Bethlehem (from "Beit Lechem", Hebrew for "house of bread").[3]

The town lies at an altitude of 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) and this contributes to its cool climate with frosty winters and mild summers. The average annual temperature is around 24 °C (75 °F)

Bethlehem is situated approximately 240 kilometres (150 mi) north-east of Bloemfontein, 140 kilometres (87 mi) east of Kroonstad and 90 kilometres (56 mi) west of Harrismith. The town is strategically situated in the heart of the picturesque north-eastern Free State and originally developed as a service centre.[4] Bethlehem is the seat of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality (this municipality is situated within the boundaries of the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality in the Eastern Free State).

The township associated with Bethlehem is called Bohlokong, named after the hloko/bohloko grass Diheteropogon filifolius.[5]

History

Bethlehem was founded in 1864 on the farm Pretorius Kloof by Daniël van Dyk.[6]

Society and culture

Museums, provincial heritage sites and memorials

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See also: List of heritage sites in Free State

A number of heritage sites are located in Bethlehem:

  • 14 President Burgers Street[7]
  • A B Baartman Wagon House[8]
  • Loch Athlone Dam Wall[9]
  • Main Building of the Bethlehem Technical College[10]
  • Nederduitse Gereformeerde Mother Church[11]
  • Old Magistrates Court[12]
  • Old Nederduitse Gereformeerde Mission Church parsonage[13]
  • Old Nederduitse Gereformeerde Mission Church[14]
  • St Andrews Presbyterian Church[15]
  • St Augustine Anglican Church[16]
  • Strapps Shop[17]
  • The Seminary[18]
  • Town Hall[19]
  • Wooden Spoon Restaurant[20]

Sport

Premier Soccer League club Free State Stars is based in Bethlehem and plays its home games at Goble Park.

Bethlehem is also the birthplace of notable rugby union players including brothers, Jannie and Bismarck du Plessis.

Coats of arms

Municipal (1)

By 1931, the municipal council had assumed a coat of arms.[21] The arms were registered with the Orange Free State Provincial Administration in October 1958.[22]

The arms were : Party per chevron Azure and Gules, a chevron Or, in chief between two springboks couped at the neck respecting each other, proper, a mullet of the third, and in base three maize cobs, the outer ones pilewise, all proper. In layman's terms, the shield depicted a golden chevron between a gold star and two springboks' head on a blue background, and three maize cobs on a red background.

Municipal (2)

A new coat of arms was designed in the 1980s. It was registered at the Bureau of Heraldry in June 1989.[23]

The arms were : Per chevron, Azure and Gules, a chevron Or between in chief a mullet and in base two bars wavy, Argent (i.e. a golden chevron between a silver star on a blue background and two wavy silver stripes on a red background).

The crest was three golden ears of wheat with blue stalks and leaves, tied together with a red band; the motto was Conjuncti prosperamus.

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Sum of the Main Places Bohlokong, Thorisong, Vuka, Old Location and Bethlehem from Census 2011.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ http://www.dihlabeng.gov.za
  5. ↑ Rodney Moffet, Grasses of the Eastern Free State: Their descriptions and uses, UNIQWA, Phuthaditjhaba, 1997
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ The arms were depicted on a cigarette card issued in 1931.
  22. ↑ Orange Free State Official Gazette 41 (10 October 1958).
  23. ↑ http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za

External links

 Lindley Reitz Warden
Senekal Kestell
  Bethlehem  
Rosendal Fouriesburg Clarens
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