"Amandelboom" before the name changed to Williston - can be seen on the hill as you drive through the town...
120km East of Calvinia is the town called Williston. This town, originally a mission station, Amandelboom, was founded in 1845. In 1883, the name changed to Williston, in honour of Colonel Hampden Willis.
Williston lies in sheep-farming country, bound by the Slangberg Range in the South and a series of pans in the North. The Abundance of trees in the town comes to a surprise to most visitors.
In the early 19th century about 700 mixed-descent folk
Muddy grounds and puddles of water after welcoming rains...
were trying to make a living West of the Karee Mountains. They moved from spring to spring in search of water and grazing for their cattle and horses.
Attractions:
*Block house – from the time of the Anglo Boer War – 2km West of town
* Cor belled Houses – these Bee-Hived shaped stone structures are regarded as the first architectural style in the North-West Karoo.
*Museum – an early NG Mission Church (1884) is now used to house a museum.
The Museum in Williston
*Tombstone Route – a form of folk-art using handmade tools to chisel Tombstones out of local sandstone
"singende koppe"
*Singkoppe(Singing Hills) – East of Williston where choirs would sing spiritual songs that echoed all around.
"Zak Rivier"
*Zak Rivier – a seasonal river where riverbed irrigation is practiced