Elim, Historic Missionary Village in the Western Cape by marti

Canon SD800

This village of white-washed, thatched cottages has South Africa’s only slave freedom memorial. Moravian missionaries founded Elim in 1824 and named the village after the place where the Israelites rested after crossing the Red Sea. In addition to Gospel teaching, they mastered crafts such as thatching and polony-making for which the people of Elim are still renowned.

Many of the country’s
rarest plant species are indigenous and the town has a thriving wild flower export
industry. The Old Mill Tea Room is popular for its products made from flour
ground at the Mission’s Mill. The Old Water Mill built in 1833 has the largest
wooden water-wheel in South Africa and is still in use.

The mission church in the centre of the village is a National Monument.

Elim has the only monument honoring the liberation of slaves in all of South Africa.
For more info see www.danger-point-peninsula.co.za/elim.shtml