Kerkenberg
Mountain in Free State, South Africa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kerkenberg is a mountain in a location in the Oliviershoek Pass Area in Free State, South Africa. Its located 32 km South of Harrismith.
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Background
The Voortrekkers camped there from mid-October to mid-November 1837 and from there sent out parties to find ways down the escarpment. Erasmus Smit conduct church services at the site for the treks and named Kerkenberg (Church Mountain).[1] On 12 November Piet Retief’s daughter Debora painted his name on a rock to mark his 57th birthday.[1]
On 10 October 1899, members of the Bethlehem commando also recorded their names here, when they arrived to guard a pass on the Free State border at the start of the Boer War.[1]
The site is open to the public.[2]
