Bloemhof, meaning ‘flower garden’ in Afrikaans, sits pretty on the banks of the Vaal River. It was established on the farm Klipfontein by John Barclay who became overwhelmed by the beauty and splendour of his daughter’s garden there that he named the town Bloemhof after it.
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The town owes its rapid growth to the diamond rush in the area, with farms and even residential plots being dug up in search for diamonds. Bloemhof was the seat of the court of arbitration to settle arguments between the Transvaal, Orange Free State, Britain and Griqualand over land claims and ownership of diamond fields in Barkly West. Although there are still diamond fields in the area, mining is on hold.
