Roodepoort Museum

Roodepoort Museum: Introduction . The Farmhouse . Victorian House . 1920/1930 Displays . Gallery . Friends . General information

General information

Let our friendly guides lead you through the geological history of the Witwatersrand Basin which came into being 2 500 million years ago. Learn all about the first discovery of payable gold in this area by Fred and Harry Struben at Confidence Reef, resulting in other prospectors also coming to the area to try their luck. This resulted in the development of four separate mining camps - one each on the farms Roodepoort (Roodepoort) and Paardekraal (Maraisburg), and two on the farm Vogelstruisfontein (Hamberg & Florida).

Follow the development of these mining camps into villages, then towns (incorporated into the Municipality of Roodepoort-Maraisburg in 1904), and to City Status on 1 October 1977.

The museum boasts a Pioneer Farmhouse dating from the mid-1800's, a Victorian house from the turn of the century, plus 1920's and 1930's Lounges reflecting life in a bygone era. A special display room houses the museum's collection of international Decorative Art objects. The museum now also features an Art Gallery (also used for other temporary exhibitions).

Station Road, Roodepoort

Fred Struben

Early mining equipment