Did You Know?
The iron train bridge in De Aar, Northern Cape, was constructed in 1884 as part of the Cape Government Railways' expansion into the interior. This bridge was built to carry the railway line over the Orange River (or a tributary) near De Aar, a key junction town that emerged as a railway hub after the line from Cape Town reached the area in 1881. The bridge's construction in 1884 reflects the rapid development of railway infrastructure in the Cape Colony during the late 19th century, which was driven by the need to transport goods, particularly wool and later diamonds and gold, from the interior to coastal ports. De Aar itself was established in 1899, but the railway junction and associated structures, including this bridge, predate the town's formal founding.
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