![]() ![]() Occasionally a nugget of gold was discovered and though these were few and far between the largest recorded nugget weight a substantial 214 ounces. Sadly, for the most part, the gold that was found was alluvial (gold dust) and did not reap the fortune that many were working hard to make. Though who the ancient miners were is unknown it has been established that the region of Mpumalanga was part of a transit corridor that moved gold from South Africa to Arabia, India and Phoenicia. Evidence of mining of the quartz reefs in ancient times were revealed during the most recent efforts to retrieve the gold buried within the soil of the town and surrounding area, as well as other parts of South Africa. The 1870 gold rush was not the first time the area had been the site of digging. As so often happens when an influx of potential customers increases the population of a town, no matter how temporarily, businesses appear overnight to take advantage of the boom, charging outrageous prices that the many hopefuls will pay in order to get the items they need to keep working their claims and survive another week or two. It was estimated that in the beginning of 1874 there were some 1500 prospectors working around 4000 claims. In 1873 the town and surrounding area was densely populated with prospectors all hoping to make their fortunes in the second of the Transvaal gold fields. ![]() Located in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa, Pilgrim’s Rest is a small town with a very colorful and exciting history. ![]()
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