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History: ‘Onze Rust’, the farm of Marthinus Theunis Steyn, the last President of the Orange Free State, lies just below a ridge, thickly wooded with Karee and wild olive trees. It is reached by a road that turns off the national road to the south at a point 22 kilometres from Bloemfontein.
President Steyn bought this farm in 1897. He did not live there during his period of office or during the Anglo-Boer War, but settled there on his return from Europe in 1905. Onze Rust became the base from which he operated as leader and adviser of the Afrikaner people. The ‘Tree of Conspiracy’ was one of the President’s favourite places on the farm where he often sought peace and quietude. It stands about 400 metres west of the house, beyond a pomegranate hedge. Dr. N. J. van der Merwe describes it in the following words:
‘It is a strong, shady, symmetrically-shaped wild olive tree . . .’ Many an important consultation took place at the foot of this tree. When friends came to consult the President about important matters, he often took them to the bench under the wild olive tree—hence the name ‘Tree of Conspiracy’. It has often been said that no one could enter the circle of the President’s trusted friends without first undergoing a session under this tree. There such a person would be cross-questioned; there his innermost thoughts would be laid bare under the power of his strong personality. Men like J. B. M. Hertzog, Christiaan de Wet and Abraham Fischer often came to ask and receive valuable advice under this tree.
Proclaimed 1950"
Visual Description: The 'Boom van sameswering' is a wild olive tree situated on the farm 'ONZE RUST' in the district of
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Condition: Good
Construction Date: 1897-00-00
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Catalogue: , No: Nil, Significance Category: