Article 67

“Philadelphia on the West Coast”

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The historic village of Philadelphia on the R304 just off the busy N7, about 26 km outside Durbanville, is one of our favourite destinations. Nestled among brilliantly yellow canola fields and rolling green fields dotted with dairy cows, and exuding plattelandse rustigheid, it invites visitors to slow down and take a deep breath.

Dating back to 1863, the story goes that local farmers grew tired of driving the long distances into Durbanville or Cape Town to attend church, so Jan van Schoor made available 20 morgen of his farm Dasvlei for the founding of an NG Kerk. A picture perfect village soon grew around this handsome church with its square steeple.

Published in The Muse, Pinelands Community Magazine, in May 2013.

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