Johannesburg as tent town ... Ferreira's Camp, 1886, set up by Colonel Ignatius Phillip Ferreira

City in photos A photographic tour of the city's historical landmarks Click here Joburg's firsts Johannesburg was first in the country with a number of things: first paying gold, first motor car, first movie . . . but it was first with a number of other less significant but intriguing things too Read more Johannesburg's mayors Johannesburg got its first mayor in 1897, 11 years after the town came into being. The town has had mayors with a range of different professions but only one woman mayor Read more

Commissioner Street in 1887

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Johannesburg in the 19th century GOLD was discovered in Johannesburg in 1886. The town moved from tent town to wood and iron shacks to bricks and mortar within a decade or two. These stories tell that history, detailing the characters involved, how the city got its name, and the earliest settlers in the region. Joburg's earliest settlers Johannesburg's earliest settlers were not the Boers but rather the descendants of Venda people who settled north of the Soutpansberg around 1 000 years ago, on two hills near a small town called Pontdrift The Struben brothers The first pioneers to actually find gold - but their luck quickly ran out Confidence Reef Johannesburg's first real mine never quite lived up to its name The Three Georges strike paydirt Who discovered the main gold reef? There's much controversy, but the claimants are three drifters, all named George How did the gold get here? Geologists continue to puzzle over why so much of the world's gold is to be found in one particular spot - the Witwatersrand Who gave his name to Johannesburg? Who gave his name to the city of Johannesburg when it was founded in 1886? The historians are unable to decide. The city without water How a major city came to be founded in a waterless, treeless, dust bowl. The forgotten tale of the village of Randjeslaagte Streets named after pioneers Many of the streets of Johannesburg are named after early pioneers Why Bree Street has that 'kink' One of the eccentricities of central Johannesburg is the way streets north and south of Bree Street fail to meet up correctly Johannesburg in the 20th century Johannesburg books There are many histories of Johannesburg. Here is a review of some of the books that trace the history of the city. Read more Print this Page Send an online postcard E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za