Paarl History – Once the wagon-building capital of SA – Episode 6
Myles Minnaar
Did you know that Paarl was once one of the largest wagon-manufacturing centres in South Africa, with wagons built right here in our town being transported across the country and…
October 2026
The History of Paarl: 1800–1900 – Episode 5
Welcome to the third instalment of our Founders Month series, where we explore the history of Paarl, century by century. Researching his period of Paarl history is possibly the most…
Paarl in the 1700s – The making of a town – Episode 4
Imagine standing in Paarl in the year 1700. What would you have seen? No Main Road lined with shops. No schools, no town centre, no busy streets. Just the magnificent…
Paarl – What happened to the Indigenous Communities? – Episode 3
Throughout October, in celebration of Founders Month, we have been exploring Paarl’s history, from the first European farms to the development of the town we know today. But there is…
Paarl – What will it take to become the preferred tourism destination?
Over the past few weeks, I came across several articles comparing Paarl with Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, with Paarl often portrayed as the lesser of the three tourism destinations. I also…
Paarl Founders Day: A series of Paarl history
Hi Paarl, For the longest time, I’ve wondered: Why doesn’t Paarl have a Founders Day? Over the past month, I’ve been doing some research and visiting historical sites around Paarl,…
Paarl in the 1600s – Where it all began – Episode 2
To conclude our first week of Paarl Founders Month, we visited several of the earliest farms granted to Dutch and French settlers during the late 1600s. Our mission was simple:…
Paarl in the 1600s – Where it all began – Episode 1
Happy Paarl Founders Month! Before Paarl was Paarl, this valley was home to Khoikhoi communities, who had lived, travelled and grazed their livestock across the Berg River valley and surrounding…