Queenstown, South Africa - Encyclopedia

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

QUEENSTOWN, a town of the Cape province, South Africa, in the upper valley of the Great Kei river, 155 m. by rail N.W. of East London. Pop. (1904) 9616, of whom 4157 were white. Founded in 1853 and named after Queen Victoria, it was laid out in an unusual form. From each angle of a. central hexagonal-shaped open space there runs one of the main thoroughfares. This arrangement was adopted to facilitate defence in case of an attack by Kaffirs, Queenstown at the time of its foundation being a border settlement. Up to 1868 the burghers held their lands on a military tenure. It contains several fine buildings, including the town hall, court-house and public offices and the Anglican church of St Michael. Many of the streets are lined with oaks and blue gums. Situated on the Karroo, at an elevation of 3500 ft., between the Stormberg and Amatola Mountains, it is the centre of a wheat and sheep-rearing district, and is a busy commercial town. The climate is healthy, and Queenstown has a reputation as a sanatorium.