History of Riversdale

Province: Western Cape
Garden Route
Coordinates:34°05′49″S 21°15′44″E
Area:100.45 km2
Municipality: Hessequa

Church town

The town of Riversdale was founded as a church town on the farm Doornkraal and named after Sir Harry Rivers who was a civil commissioner at Swellendam. It was proclaimed in 1848 and it is the seat of the Hessequa municipality. It is considered the Westernmost point of the Garden Route.

In 1667 Hieronymous Crüse led an expedition to the region to barter cattle with the local indigenous people. In 1792 another expedition was led by Izak Schryver when he befriended Goukou, the leader of the Hessequa people. By 1772 there were 5 cattle posts in the Overberg region and farmers began to settle in the area. The increasing population of farmers led to the need for a church, so the farm Doornkraal was bought for the purpose of establishing a church.
By 1882 there were about 250 buildings in the area. Life centered around the main street which was planted with rows of oak trees.

The license plate prefix for Riversdale is CCC and the postal code is 6670

THE WEATHER IN RIVERSDALE TODAY

all listings in riversdale

Things to see and do in Riversdale

• Classical Baltic Wheel labyrinth, planted with indigenous plants and succulents. 3 Long Street 028 713 1651
• In town, you will see a Class 7 steam locomotive. This is like the first ones that hauled trains when the railways reached Riversdale in 1903
• Hessequa art route
• Jurisch Park Botanical Garden
• Voetpadkloof pass
• Soetmelksrivier pass
• 
• Riversdale library mural

Useful Numbers in Riversdale

• Municipality: 028 713 8000
• Emergency service number (all Hours)-084 014 1828.
• Police: 028 713 8500.
• Traffic department: 028 713 7817
• Fire: 028 713 2222
• Water: 028 713 8000
• Electricity:028 713 8000
• Ambulance: 10177
• Post office;028 713 1168
• Riversdale Sportsground: 028 713 8000
• Library:028 713 8014 / 7899
• Closest hospital; 028 713 2445
• Pharmacy;028 713 1089
• SPCA: Garden route 044 878 1990
• Schools:

Langenhoven High School-028 713 1065
Laerskool Volschenk-028 713 1064
Gerrit Du Plessis Secondary School-028 713 2555
Hoër Landbouskool Oakdale-028 713 2549
Voorwaarts Primary School-028 713 1695
Panorama Primary School-028 713 1086
Molenrivier Primary School-028 713 3512

• Museum;Julius Gordon Africana Museum-028 713 7939
• Tourism -028 713 4139                                                                                                                 rs