Product Description

Elim owes its origin to the Moravian missionary, Hans Peter Hallbeck, who arrived in the Cape from England on 17 December 1817.

One of Hallbeck’s first assignments was to establish mission stations outside the existing stations. According to him, the farm Vogelstruyskaal, near Bredasdorp, had a lot of potential for the establishment of a mission station. It was equipped with good water supply, grazing lands, garden land, residence, outbuildings and a water mill. The missionaries bought the farm for $ 5000 (dollars) which guaranteed the property and led to the establishment of another Moravian mission station. Hallbeck also formulated a new “mission station ordinance” which was the basis of the regulations for settlement in Elim. The name change took place with the establishment of Elim in July 1824. Elim was also occasionally called the oasis of the Strandveld because water was one of the most important considerations with the establishment of the mission station. Water is the symbol of life and without it very little can exist or have any hope of life.

Elim has a long history that dates back several centuries and is largely dominated by the Khoi, the slaves and the later Coloreds.

There has been no change that has taken place over time in the composition, relationships and actions of the population.

The old watermill was built between 1828-1830 in Elim.Therefore in this year 2018 the Mill is actually 190 Years old.

When this DriftMillis operational it has the distinction of being the biggest working wooden watermill in Southern Africa.

The Mill as well as the Werf enjoys Historical and Architectural interest as far as heritage is concerned. The location of the site in the Overberg District which Is perfectly positioned, situated on the churchplain of the Moravian Missionstation of Elim belonging to the Moravian Church of SouthernAfrica(MCSA).Other significant tourist attractions are the only slave monument erected and nearby the southernmost point of Africa namely the CapeAgulhas.