The town of Beaufort West in the Western Cape of South Africa was founded in 1818 on the Karoo farm of Hooivlakte at the foot of the Nuweveld Mountain Range. One of the first to receive land was G R Opperman who received his land from the Governor in 1760. Beaufort West was named for the Duke of Beaufort, Governor at the time. The ‘West’ was added later to avoid confusion with Port Beaufort and Fort Beaufort.
In 1830 there were two streets and approximately thirty homes. Beaufort West was the first town to become a municipality and was connected to the telegraph line in 1875. A few years later Beaufort West was linked to Cape Town by a railway line and developed into a major railway depot and marshalling yard on the line north. During the last half a century the town has developed into a relatively large distribution and manufacturing centre in the Karoo. This is one of the largest sheep farming areas and is also known for its pedigree horses and merino studs. The town hall is a national monument and the town has several Victorian style single and double story turn of the century houses. The Dutch Reformed Church is a notable landmark with its 46 metre high tower. Beaufort West ’s greatest son, Dr Christiaan Barnard was the first man to perform a heart transplant in 1967, in Groote Schuur Hospital.