This Day in History: August 28, 1844
Additional Date: August 28, 1844
Victoria West is a small town in the Western Cape. In 1844 the Dutch Reformed Church bought a farm in the area and named it Victoria, after Queen Victoria. It was renamed Victoria West in 1855, to distinguish it from the district of the same name in the Eastern Cape.
Today, the town has a population of just over 11 000. It is a thriving small town with a booming sheep farming industry. The town boasts many attractions that include a nature reserve, museum and a print shop that has remained untouched since it was built in 1876