Sites

Archive Import
History: The First Raadsaal is without a doubt the most important building in the Orange Free State from a historical point of view. It stands at No. 95 St. George’s Street in the picturesque, historical ‘old’ Bloemfontein, straight in front of the Presidency. It is indeed a pioneer building, with its long white-washed walls, thatched roof and its two end-gables, now unfortunately obscured and spoiled by adjoining buildings. This hail is the cradle of the Orange Free State’s administration, its church and its education.
In November, 1848, Warden sold a number of erven which raised a total sum of R1 800 and at his request the Governor allowed him to use half of the money to build a church and school. In May, 1849, The Cape of Good Hope Observer recorded, ‘The Government School- house is finished, and a fine large building it is-nothing very handsome, but good, strong, plain work. It will be used as a church until a suitable structure is finished’. The well-known Dr. Andrew Murray took the services there until 29th May, 1852, when the Dutch Reformed Church was completed on the same site as is now occupied by the ‘Tweetoringkerk’. He was inducted in this hail on 6th May, 1849.
But the building was not only a church and school. It was also the ‘raadsaal’. The Legislative Assembly of the Orange River Sovereignty held its sessions in it from 1849 to 1852 and the Board of Commissioners for the control of the town also met there.
At the time of the stormy negotiations that preceded the abolition of the British Sovereignty, this hail was the centre of the political activities. After the abolition of the Sovereignty and the subsequent establishment of the Republic of the Orange Free State in 1854, the hail served concurrently as the Raadsaal or Legislative Assembly Hall, as government offices and as a school. The Volksraad and the Executive Council held their sessions in it during 1854 and 1855. The first two Presidents, Josias Hoffman and Jacobus Boshof, were sworn-in to their high office in this humble building in 1854 and 1855 respectively. In 1856 the Volksraad and Executive Committee moved to the Second Raadsaal in a building that stood opposite the market square where the Post Office is now. The other building continued to be used as a school.
In 1877, when sufficient provision had been made for school and church buildings, the Volksraad placed the Old Raadsaal at the disposal of a public committee for use as a museum. The two stone wings were added in 1885 and 1891."
Visual Description: It is a pioneer building with long white walls, a grass roof and has two side facades.
Colours:
Site Features:
Condition: Good
Construction Date: 1849-05-00
Materials: Coursed Cut Stone, Grass Mat
Catalogue: , No: Nil, Significance Category: