Philippolis

Philippolis is a small town in the Free State province of South Africa. The writer and intellectual Sir Laurens van der Post was born here.

History

The London Missionary Society (LMS) founded Philippolis in 1823 as a mission station for the local Khoi people. The town takes its name from the LMS representative John Phillip. The early establishment makes it the oldest settlement in the Free State.

Adam Kok II, a Griqua leader, settled here with his people in 1826 and became the protector of the mission station. (Kok's son Adam Kok III and his followers later migrated across the Drakensberg mountains to settle in Kokstad in Griqualand East.)

The old church was replaced by a Dutch Reformed Church, which was consecrated in 1871. The pulpit, carved out of olive wood, has become a tourist attraction. The first school opened in 1873.

As of 2014, the town has started to become a popular tourist-destination because of its historical value, architecture and rural lifestyle.