1. The Old Graveyard: Situated on the De Rust Koppie and was the original graveyard for the Village. However, during the 20th Century its use was discontinued and it has fallen into a state of severe disrepair. A new graveyard was later established close to the Church in the Village. 

2. The Old Mill was built in the mid-1800’s prior to the Village being established. It continued to operate into the mid-1940’s but has subsequently fallen into disrepair. This is a protected Provincial Heritage building and deserves to be fully restored, providing the required funds can be raised. 

3. NG Kerk Saal: The Church Hall was built in the early 1900’s and is situated on the same site as the Church. In addition, there was previously an Orphanage which was built to accommodate the orphans from the Flu Epidemic of 1918 but which was demolished some years ago.  

4. NG Kerk: The Church was built in the early 1900’s and consecrated in 1902 and is also a declared Provincial Heritage Site. The church is the centre of many community based events including theatrical productions and sporting codes such as the popular Meiringspoort Marathon and Trail and Mountain Bike Events. 

             FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE FOOT OF THIS PAGE

5. Vredelus Farmhouse was one of the first farmhouses in the area and in the early days before the church was built services were held under the trees at the homestead. In addition, the graves of some of the earliest owners of the farm De Rust are to be found in the private graveyard close to the house. 

6. The private graveyard at Vredelus Farm. The graves of P. J. Meiring and his wife (the previous Catherina Helena Geldenhuys) as well as  that of S.D.P. Le Roux who purchased the Farm De Rust with J.J.Schoeman in 1899. The Schoeman Family still farm this land today.  

The graves of P. J. Meiring who died in 1899 and his wife (previously Catherina Helena Geldenhuis) in the Graveyard at Vredelus Plaas.

The grave of S.D.P. Le Roux in the Graveyard at Vredelus Plaas. He bought the Farm De Rust with J.J. Schoeman in 1899 and was a joint founder of the Village of De Rust on 19 April, 1900.

6a  The Graves of P. J. Meiring who died in 1876 and his wife  (previously Catherina Helena Geldenhuys) in the Graveyard at Vredelus Plaas which was previously the farm De Rust.

6b  The Grave of S.D.P. le Roux in the Graveyard at Vredelus Plaas. He bought the Farm De Rust with J.J. Schoeman in 1899 and was a joint founder of the Village of De Rust on 19 April, 1900. 

"Ou Lokasie"

House on Corner of Le Roux and Hoop Streets

7. “Ou Lokasie” was originally where many of the farm workers lived prior to the establishment of Blomnek in the early 1980’s. Blomnek was first established in the early 1980’s when the Schoeman family exchanged a portion of their farm where Blomnek is now situated in exchange for the ground at “Ou Lokasie.”

8. House on Corner of Le Roux and Hoop Streets: This house was originally built as a townhouse by one of the prominent farming families in the De Rust area. It is one of the “Grand Dames” of the Village and currently requires some major renovations to bring it back to its former glory. The house is built on Erf 101 with the adjoining Erf 102 being part of the property but being vacant with separate title. 

The Twin Houses – 5th Avenue

9. The Robertson Huis on Schoeman Street: This house was built in the early 1900's by a well known local architect. At various times it has been a private residence and then an art gallery. It is another of  the  “Grand Dames” of De Rust and has recently been restored to its former glory. It has an annex behind the house which has also been restored as a second dwelling. 

10. The Twin Houses – 5th Avenue:  These “twin houses” were built by two brothers who split an original large stand into two and built identical houses side by side in 5th Avenue. The facades are the same but the back sections differ as they have been added to over the years. 

Old Victorian House on the Corner of Le Roux and Hoop Streets

11. The “Ou Koshuis” in Hoop Street: The old boarding hostel is now an Art Gallery and has recently been spruced up as it was in a very run-down condition. This building has not been a school hostel for many years since the new hostel in 2nd Avenue was built on the same site as the present De Rust High School.

12. Old Victorian House on the Corner of Le Roux and Hoop Streets: This is another early 1900’s vintage house which has been well maintained by previous owners. Properties in this part of the Village are generally from the early 1900’s and were used by farmers in the District when they came to “town”. Note snow on the Swartberg Mountain range in the background. 

The Church at “Ou Lokasie” - built some years after the church in the Village which is a registered Provincial Heritage Site.

View of De Rust from above 5th Avenue looking towards "Ou Lokasie" and Meiringspoort showing the snow on the Swartberg on Sunday 9 September, 2018

13. View of the old church at the"Ou Lokasie" and Old Cottages 

 14. View of De Rust from above 5th Avenue looking North over the Village towards "Ou Lokasie" and Meiringspoort showing the snow on the  Swartberg on  Sunday 9 September, 2018 

Neo-Gothic Pulpit N.G. Kerk in De Rust - Designed by J E Vixseboxse

in Selected Yellowood and Stinkwood

Photographer Morne van Rooyen 2012 

JOHANNES EGBERTUS VIXSEBOXSE

Vixseboxse was born in Almelo, Netherlands.  Like his eldest brother Bernardus  and the  second eldest, Gerrit Willem, he was probably apprenticed  as a carpenter  by day  and at  night was  a pupil  at a school for drawing before  he could start his  own business.  On 9 September  1888 he  left Rotterdam for the  South African  Republic, where joined the Public Works Department.

Vixseboxse served  on the committee  which drafted the  constitution of the  South African  Society of Architects  in Cape Town in 1899.  He left  for the  Netherlands during the Anglo-Boer War but  returned to  South Africa  in 1902 to join  the office of Charles  Bullock Oudtshoorn  (of Bullock and  Vixseboxse). The  practice flourished,  making the  most of  the ostrich feather boom.  [However, whether this  practice actually existed  is disputed  by current  researchers who find no  evidence to  support this  and it remains  a contentious  record. (Eds, 201a)1.  He left Oudtshoorn in  1914, owing  largely to the  collapse of the  ostrich feather  market. The  General directory of  United South Africa  listed him as working in Port Elizabeth in 1915. (From artefacts.co.za)

Voortrekker Memorial in the NG Church Grounds

Photographer: Paul van der Merwe 2015  

The Orphanage which was built to accommodate the orphans from the Flu Epidemic of 1918 and which was demolished in the 1970’s.  

Photograph provided by Ann Meiring

The Schoeman family grave site at the "Doornkloof Homestead" which was one of the original farms settled in the Greater De Rust District