Tours to celebrate Heritage month
JOBURG - The history of Johannesburg is as rich and deep as the Reef's gold seams, and this September, the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation will celebrate it with style.
Several walking and bus tours have been planned for Heritage month; tours that will offer something for almost every lover of all things historical.
Breeze into September with a Spring Day picnic at Hoenig Haus, Modderfontein Dynamite Village on 1 September.
“The village houses some wonderful Victorian gems. We’ll enjoy an outing together with a picnic on the lawns of the gracious Frans Hoenig Haus, built in 1896,” said the foundation’s Flo Bird.
The house and museum will be open, and there will be an opportunity to view some of the other heritage buildings.
On 7 and 8 September, the foundation will celebrate Holy Family College’s 108th birthday in the shadow of the burnt-out hall with an array of walking and bus tours.
“Food and books will be on sale, and for the energetic, a tour of the school buildings, museum, and heritage classrooms where people will have a chance to write with a dip pen in real ink. The dunce’s cap will be available for anyone who blots their copybook,” said Bird.
The buses will take people across town to explore various areas.
On 14 September, the foundation will take to the streets of Fordsburg. The walking tour, Fordsburg – Pageview struggle, will start at the plaza on Freedom Square.
“We will walk to Amina Cachalia’s house and then across the bridge into Fietas to visit the few remaining buildings in the famous 14th Street, and return via the schools which gave us some of our outstanding thinkers in the movement, including Mosie Moola, Ahmed Kathrada, Yusuf Dadoo, Michael Harmel and Molly Fischer,” she said.
On Heritage Day, 24 September, the foundation will offer the walking tour, We go theatrical.
The tour will start at Sunnyside Park and pass many old theatre buildings. The tour will stop at the refurbished Market Theatre in the old Indian Fruit Market, and then move on to the theatre at Kliptown’s Freedom Square.
“The grand finale will be our newest theatre at Jabulani, with its stunning architecture,” said Bird.
For the very adventurous history buff, the foundation will offer a heritage tour to Bloemfontein from 27 until 29 September.
Details: 011-482-3349; www.joburgheritage.co.za; info@joburgheritage.co.za
